The round-robin phase of the 2008/09 competition
is over and the playoffs are about to begin. Due to the late arrangement
or notice of the unavailability of around half the players from Barca,
Kinas, Magic and Athletic because of an Island Bay first team training
camp, it is not yet clear what the season-ending schedule will be.
Options include playing a
double-header over Waitangi weekend, scheduling midweek games with one
game per night, extending the season by a week or re-devising the entire
playoff structure. Suggestions that AndyCapped and The Originals should,
as the only teams able to meet their fixture obligations, receive byes
have not yet been approved.
In the meantime, we take a look
at how each team has gone during the regular season:
The Originals
What has happened to the Os? They arrived at the 2008/09 Summer Season
fresh from being crowned the undefeated Wellington Masters One champions.
Far from being able to secure another unbeaten season, they have yet to
win a game. Not since AndyCapped achieved it in the inaugural season has a
team gone through an entire regular season without a win and there are
real concerns that they could set a new record by extending this to the
whole season. .
The Originals have suffered at
both ends of the pitch. In defence, conceding 50 goals over 10 games is
unprecedented - even if they maintain clean sheets during the play-offs,
they will still set a new league record for goals conceded per game over
the season. Up front, they have scored fewer goals than anyone.
They managed the great escape,
evading the wooden spoon despite going into the playoffs from the cellar,
in 2006/07. Their performance against Bay Athletic in week 10 suggests
they are capable of repeating this. However, assuming the playoff
structure is retained, the Os will face the South Coast Kinas in their
first playoff match - an opposition that has supplied a 14-2 whipping over
two matches.
South Coast Kinas
Although the Kinas are this year's expansion team, their playing
squad is made up of Barca Bay players - essentially those who have
graduated from the youth team because they can now legitimately shave once
a month.
Given the good record these
players achieved with the previous club, the Kinas were expected to
perform better than they have. Despite inflicting Black Magic's only
defeat and chalking up a handful of good results, their season has fizzled out.
They went from second place to being out of the running for the Jessett
Cup over the last three rounds. Perhaps the key was squad consistency, or
the lack of it. They used 27 different players - a total only exceeded by
the disparate Originals this season and the Massey Coolmoves in their
troubled last season before folding.
Goal scoring has been a real
problem, with five ducks. They did put six past the Os and Barca, plus
another eight past the Os, so they can find the net. Failing to score in
half their fixtures does not bode well. At the back, they have been tight.
Although they failed to get a single clean sheet, the Kinas only allowed
more than one goal in three of their fixtures.
They will be confident of
passing past the first stage, given their two games against the Originals.
At the next stage, the Kinas would be best hopeful of meeting Barca. The
alternative would be a meeting with AndyCapped, against whom the Ks have
an aggregate score of 0-5.
Barca Bay
For the new intake of youth, the season has come in threes. A good
start to the season, saw three undefeated games, but then came three
defeats, before three consecutive wins. If they continue this pattern, the
first two matches in the playoffs will see them consigned to the Wooden
Spoon Playoff.
However, Barca do have one
historical stat in their favour. They have never lost a playoff match. The
one match that they failed to win went to penalties. Unlike previous
seasons however, they go into the playoffs with a shot at the Jessett Cup,
albeit that they must win three games (either in normal time or via a
shoot-out) to do so.
Their first opponents are
AndyCapped. Historically, the Caps have had the best of this match-up. On
their last meeting the youngsters triumphed 3-0, so have good reason for
optimism. The regularity of goals from Henry Velvin will be key to Barca's
ability to progress. Henry is one goal shy of equalling the Barca
single-season goals scored record.
Whatever the final outcome of
their season, Barca have the satisfaction of knowing that this season has
seen them provide two moments of distinction: Birhan Taye became the
youngest ever goal scorer at 13 years and Noel Cameron is the league's
first female player.
AndyCapped
After two consecutive seasons of losing in the Jessett Cup Final,
the Caps will be hoping to shake-off the bridesmaid tag. It's a harder
task they have set themselves this season. In each of their Final seasons,
they ended the round-robin phase in second spot. This season, they will
need to get through the playoffs without any slips.
Joe Murphy has been a goal
scoring revelation for them, notching up more goals this season than in
all previous seasons combined. This season has seen him score the first
ever AndyCapped hat-trick. Twice. Joe has also equalled the record of most
goals scored in a season, originally set by Phil Jones in 2006/07.
While their record over Barca
Bay suggests the Caps could make the semi-final stage, the fact that they
lost every match against the top two suggests there won't be a third Final
appearance.
Bay Athletic
By sneaking into the top two, Bay Athletic have guaranteed they
will not be contesting the Wooden Spoon Playoff again. Athletic looked a
little lethargic in their final game against the Os, only winning courtesy
of Dave Rutherford scoring with the very last kick of the game. They will
point out results earlier that day meant only a loss of two goals or more
would have prevented them securing second.
Their league form was at least
consistent. They lost all matches against Barca Bay and Black Magic, but
presented a perfect record over the Kinas, Caps and Os. Even including
previous seasons, Athletic have lost every game to Black Magic. Opening
their playoff series against the Magic, it could be they realise their
worst case scenario - to lose the first crack at securing a Final berth
and to end up facing Barca Bay in the semis.
Perhaps they are
peaking at just the right time. For the first time in their history, they
have put together a streak of three consecutive wins. Carlo Petagna and
Dave Rutherford have both scored in the last two matches. No Athletic
player has ever scored in three consecutive matches, so they will have two
players extra motivated and chasing the record as they try and break the
Magic-duck.
Black Magic
After choking in last year's semi-final, are the Magic fired up to prove themselves this season? Securing the Coolmoves
Shield for the first time since 2004/05, becoming the first time to win it
for a second time, may be indicative of a clinical mindset now we are down
to the business end of the season.
They are currently on a league
best-ever winning streak of eight consecutive wins, so the rest of the top
four will be hoping for some complacency.
They have shown strength at
both ends of the pitch. Currently, their goals scored per game is a league
high. Depending on whether they play two or three playoff matches (i.e.
whether they earn the bye), four or seven more goals will earn them the record.
It's a similar story at the other end of the park. The average goal
conceded ratio of exactly one per game has only been bettered once - by
the Black Magic team of 2005/06.
