Welcome to Aussiezone 236!

Dear reader,

Welcome back for another edition of The Zone.

It’s our fourth edition since our comeback and it’s probably a bit lighter than the past three due to the season rollover, and personal time constraints. Nevertheless, we’ve got the usual stuff, but a big shoutout to chucky06 on his outstanding A-League preview. You don’t want to miss it!

We cover all things A-League, Div 1, AIHL,  if you’re game enough to up against rubiton111 and his generous U18 bounty challenge, there’s some incentive there to be had. There’s not much going on in the national team of late so we’ve left that off the map for now until there’s newsworthy pieces.

Again, leaving this call out for anyone who’d like to contribute to our wonderful Zone, please just shoot me a message in my guestbook with anything you’d like to write. We welcome all of these contributions across the realm of MZ Australia.

Enjoy the read!
Damo11

https://gph.is/g/EJJQ9oE

 

A-League Season 70 Preview

by chucky06

A-League Preview- Season 70

 

The A-League action begins again on Tuesday with four new teams promoted to fight for top league honours. Last season’s winner Crimson Eagles will be hoping to go back to back but it may not be that easy. Below I’ve previewed each side and had a guess where I think they will likely finish. I’ve also got a few predictions from some of the top managers and where they think everyone might end up.

Abbotsford FC

– The most consistent performer in the A-League over the last 10 seasons again showing this with a 4th place finish last season.

– Abbotsford hasn’t acquired any new players for the season but with last season’s starting X1 average age of only 26.45, his team will likely be just as good as last season

Prediction: 3rd

Bes Mudi Bandits

– Bes Mudi Bandits are back in the A-League, having won Division 1.1 last season. After their recent hiatus from the top division, they will be looking to lock down a permanent position in the top flight.

– They’ve made no notable transfers and may struggle a little to compete with the top teams but wouldn’t be shocked if they pulled off some surprises.

Prediction: 6th

Bindi FC

– Since going the A-League a few seasons ago, Bindi looked at home amongst the company of Australia’s elite.

– Finishing a strong 5th last season and making one addition to the starting line up in the off season, I’m sure they will be highly competitive once more.

Prediction: 4thChelsea Dream

– Chelsea Dream fought hard in a relegation play-off to remain in the top league this season.

– They sold two ageing players and replaced them with younger options.

– It will be hard to see Chelsea Dream finishing higher than their 9th place finish last season.

Prediction: 11th

Collingwood

– Collingwood won Division 1.3 convincingly last season. They have a solid squad on paper but I’m unsure of their quality or how they will fair against the countries best.

– They haven’t made any additions to their squad but only losing two matches last season they clearly have class, but it’s unknown if that will translate to victories in the top league.

Prediction: 9th

Crimson Eagles FC

– Last season’s winner Crimson will be looking to go back to back after tasting victory again after a long absence.

– Crimson has sold two starters, 9.6 million worth of talent but is yet to fill that void.

– Expecting Crimson to be highly competitive again and wouldn’t be surprised if they went back to back.

Prediction: 2nd

Flying Hellfish

– Flying Hellfish was unlucky last season finishing in 3rd but did taste success in the Nation Cup.
– Arguably has the best starting team in the A-League and will be hard to hold out this year, especially after making a few key transfers in the back end of last season.

Prediction: 1st

Glasston– Glasston has been a solid competitor for seasons now in the top flight finishing a solid 6th last time out.

– They’ve made one key addition in the off-season but has an ageing squad and I expect this consistent performer to possibly struggle a little this season

Prediction: 7th

Harry Cool

– Harry Cool won Division 1.2 last season only losing one game on the way up.
– They’ve made one key addition to the squad in the off-season but are a big unknown talent.

– Harry Cool might find the step up in class a little too much but I’m happy to be proven wrong.

Prediction: 10th

Jimmy Pizza

– Jimmy had absolutely no luck last season with easily the best squad last time around.

– They finished the season 2nd and also finished runner up in the National Cup.

– Jimmy Pizza had an off-season rage sale and sacked his entire squad.

– He’s made a heap of transfers but is looking at a younger market to build a squad around.

– Depends how he spends his war chest of funds will determine what he achieves this season.

Prediction: 5th

SYDclub

– SYDub sold three of his starters with no editions to the team sheet yet.
– His squat is quite a young squad with an array of older guys. I think it might be a challenge for SYDclub to stay up this season.

Prediction: 12th

The Obscurials

– Finished 2nd last season. In Division 1.1 and went up in promotions.
– Made a few upgrades to replace previous starters in the offseason.
– Young squad all under 24 except 2 players
– Highly successful u23 campaign last season winning two U23 Official Cups but will find it difficult to compete with the top teams especially looking to camp a few starters throughout the season.

– Middle/Lower end of the table finish at best

Prediction: 8th

Fellow Manager Predictions:

senile_old_men 

 

1. Flying Hellfish

2. Crimson Eagles

3. Abbotsford FC 

4. Jimmy Pizza

5. The Obscurials 

6. Bindi FC

7. SYDclub

8. Harry Cool

9. Glasston

10. Bes Mudi Bandits 

11. Collingwood 

12. Chelsea Dream 

 

maccorosso

1. Crimson Eagles 

2. Flying Hellfish

3. Collingwood 

4. Bes Mudi Bandits 

5. Harry Cool

6. Glasston

7. Bindi FC 

8. Abbotsford FC

9. The Obscurials 

10. SYDclub

11. Chelsea Dream

12. Jimmy Pizza 

 

pureowen

1. Crimson Eagles FC 

2. Jimmy Pizza 

3. Flying Hellfish 

4. Abbotsford FC

5. Glasston

6. Bindi FC

7. Harry Cool

8. Collingwood 

9. SYDclub

10. Bes Mudi Bandits 

11. The Obscurials 

12. Chelsea Dream 

damo11

1. Jimmy Pizza 

2. Flying Hellfish 

3. Crimson Eagles FC 

4. Glasston

5. The Obscurials 

6. Abbotsford FC

7. Harry Cool

8. SYDclub

9. Bindi FC

10. Bes Mudi Bandits 

11. Collingwood 

12. Chelsea Dream 

Good luck for the upcoming season everyone and I look forward to be proven wrong.

Written by

chucky06

Love the article? Why not leave chucky06 some love in this user’s guestbook and thank them for valuable review here in The Aussie Zone.

Division 1 Season 70 Preview

by damo11

There’s not much to report on here as we’ve just seen a number of teams come and go throughout the offseason.

Div 1.1

Dropping down to div 1.1, Close family will have their work cut out for them as they try to get back up to the A-League. The Obscurials were the only team to gain promotion through playoffs, and thus the extra team comes into the league. Rounding out the new teams are a run of div 2 clubs including

Div 1.2

The biggest chopping and changing comes from the middle tier having half the clubs in the league switch divisions. Headed by  Brisbane Roar and Welford from the A-League, this will be one mighty tough competition to play in this season. Excelsior United, Scoffing Down United, Manilla and  Aussie Polo & Gents Club are the other clubs to come up from div 2.

Div 1.3

Just the standard four club changes in this comp as Ayreon regrettably drops down to div 1 again. Melbourne City, Ryde City FC, and Pina Colada FC are all promoted and will face a challenge from relegation survivors Redbacks FC, and HASSELHOFF BABES.

Love the article? Why not leave damo11 some love in this user’s guestbook and thank them for valuable review here in The Aussie Zone.

AIHL Season 62 Preview

by damo11

After a lacklustre season to compare to, most notbale teams are staying up with the exception of Kangaroo Crusaders who are replaced by kernal’s Ravensfield HC from div 1.3.

diesel-7’s Auckland Anvils survived their playoff relegation and will hopefully look to cement their position in the AIHL again with a relatively young squad.

Rounding out the newcomers are the division winners, Aussie Ice Tourist (div 1.1), Kalpowar (div1.2) and Tahmoor (div1.3)

There’s little doubt that The Jugular Vein will be at the top of the ladder again with sustained success still to come, so it’s really just a matter of filtering out the also-rans. I’m happy to be proven here wrong of course, but here’s my unguided predictions on the season and how it may play out.

1 The Jugular Vein
2 Finlandia HC
3 Dunedin Thunderbirds HC
4 Ice Aussies Pucks
5 Harry Cold
6 Polar Bear Club
7 Aussie Ice Tourist
8 Kalpowar
9 Caboonbah
10 Tahmoor
11 Auckland Anvils
12 Ravensfield HC

Love the article? Why not leave damo11 some love in this user’s guestbook and thank them for valuable review here in The Aussie Zone.

U18 Bounty and Rewards

by rubiton111

NOTE: All bounties and rewards are not the responsibility of the Zone or anyone apart from Rubiton111

Please report to the Zone Leader if a bounty is not paid and this will be shut down. The bounty is on my head! Defeat me (Rubiton111) in any part of the U-18 Australian Cup Finals and you get

—————100 Tokens gifted—————-

Achievement for excellence! Anyone who starting next season reaches Div 1 in the U-18 League (not World League). You can’t already be in the Div 1 League at the start of next season. Anyone demoted from Div 1 and reenters Div 1 the following season gets paid!

—————-50 Tokens gifted—————-

Achievement for excellence 2! Anyone who reaches Div 2 of the U-18 World League. You can’t already be in the Div 2 League at the start of next season.

—————-50 Tokens gifted—————-

Bounty 2 on my head! Challenge me in my guestbook. Defeat me twice in 3 games using U18s

Rules of engagement

1. I will play the challenge games in the order they are placed in my guestbook. No more than 2 challenges will be played per day.
2. I will challenge your team using scout Match 2 or 3 times and make the matches visible in my results page,
3. In your Challenge suggest times preferred to play the matches,  I will message your book and let you know the games are about to start, I will leave 10 min intervals for your viewing. Be aware is up to u to find a way to not see if 2 or 3 games are played. (I suggest a piece of cardboard 🙂
4. You are allowed to try again if you win or fail however, you can not challenge in my guestbook for 24 hours after a fail or loss.
5. If the first 2 games are losses the 3^rd will not be played,
6. No Challenge games will be played between Day 78 of a season and Day 21 of the following season
7. Beat me twice in a season and well done but no more Challenge until next season,
8. You must have a team in the Australian Leagues.

—————20 Tokens gifted—————-

Love the article? Why not leave rubiton111 some love in this user’s guestbook and thank them for valuable review here in The Aussie Zone.

MZ Flashbacks Part 2: How to manage your Hockey team

by damo11

Remember back in the day when there were screens like that? I’m talking 2003 here when a few of us first started playing MZ. Yes, we feel like fossils, but that’s what the theme is here for MZ Flashbacks. What we do is regurgitate content that you may have forgotten, sometimes relevant, sometimes effective in today’s game. Other times it’s just interesting to see where the game has gone.

In saying that, this article below is from Zone 222 with a guide on How to manage your Hockey team (part one).

That’s enough from me, so enjoy the nostalgia that comes with the read!