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

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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

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A-League 59 Preview

	Team	M	W	D	L	+	–	=	P	Last 6
1	Abbotsford FC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	BONDI ICEBERGS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	City Water Motel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Duffield United	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	F.C.Ailsa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Glasston	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	Rodborough	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
8	SYDclub	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Shrewsbury Biscuits FC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
10	Telita	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
11	The Smoking Tree	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	《Draxonia》Crimson Eagles	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Another season goes by and the revolving door swings 5 new teams back into the A-League. None of them are completely new as Duffield, Glasston, Rodborough, Telita and Bondi Icebergs have all been here before.

It will be difficult to stop The Smoking Tree from securing a 2^nd title in a row as they have the stand out team. The season will be more competitive than the last one, as there are no complete bunnies, but there will be teams that find themselves mired in the bottom half with little chance of getting out. I’m not sure who that will be, but from history we can assume that at least 3 of the 5 promoted teams will be relegated. One will perform well and achieve mid-table safety while another will hover around the relegation playoff zone and most likely end up in it.

Despite Aarons predicting a 3^rd place finish for his side, my personal feeling is that everyone else are playing for second place, but the competition for second place and mid-table safety will be fierce, with results for some going against them for little reason.

Words from the Managers

There was an interesting discussion in the A-League messageboard about the new season as some old managers have come back and resumed rivals that have been absent in recent season. The language got a bit fruity but it’s all in good fun, so with some minor alterations I’ve kept most in place.

aarons
man I replaced my greek international with a useless sack of shit n paid 5.5+ mil for the pleasure. I hate bidding wars, but in saying all that, the useless sack of shit should put 35 past ol’ man grinner n 25 past ol’ man rookerman n 15 past the icebergs which will feel like another winning season. Man I feel all hot n sweaty just thinking about that. Sizey top 3.

aarons
**** I wuz in denial, it was 6.1 million

scruttino
Aarons falls for the ol’ bidding war rope’a’dope. I was dragged into one for my best defender as a 19 year old, I paid about 11.5 million. Similar players can be bought for 6 million or so on the lower end of the scale. Still he’s an awesome defender.

aarons
rope’a’dope mmmmm soundZ like my type of thing, my dude was unmaxed 9 PI. Perhaps he won’t be so useless when the 10th ball arrives

troyh65
I’m hoping to be above the play off line. The team is still reasonably young, about two seasons away from being at its best, so it is in the hands of the Mz gods. As for Aarons, he’d be lucky to beat time with a drum, when I beat him I will savour the moment, then remind him of how rubbish he is.

rookerman
The tragic gibberer is still here I see.

grinner
You all are. I would suggest for the article and huge piece on amazing return of Duffield United to the top fold, how their preparations have included clearing more space in the Trophy cabinet and buying some lube so you fellas don’t get so butthurt and how like death ‘n’ taxes, Duffield lifting the trophy again is inevitable. Hoping to break the cycle and win before season 69 which is the season I’m due, but given the piss poor state of you blokes teams, I suspect it will be sooner.

Written by Scruttino