Come to the Darkside - The team formally known as the Cobras.

For years now I have been playing with Cobras a team started by Liam ‘wetnose’ Gillions. He saw a gap in the BPL market and snapped up all the players that didn’t attend UQ, weren’t old enough for Dojo, didn’t quite have the discipline for the Buggers and weren’t from the Gold Coast. Thus Cobras was born.

The Cobra’s were loosely formed from QUT players; we liked to play flamboyant, glory, high-pressure high-reward brand of ultimate. Whilst this worked for while, we have struggled a little recently.

Thus, we remaking the brand.

At this stage we are still the Cobras, we may change this over time. Then what is changing; we are now going to be bigger than one team, bigger than a captain we are now an idea.

From here on it the ‘Team Formally Knows as The Cobras’ will now represent the NORTH SIDE.

Too long has ultimate players, tournaments and Uni’s been associated with the Southside or Westside of Brisbane with no representation or identify to the much nicer North Side.

So Cobras are now for those in the North Side massive. So if you work, live, born or just identify with the North Side, you are one of us!

What doesn’t change is our brand of attacking, high tempo ultimate. However, we are now an idea with an identity. The goal of this is to represent the North Side be have at lease one team in all Queensland ultimate competitions. At this stage we will start with BPL, however, the invite is open to all North Siders.

So to all of you who have a bit of North Side in you, come over to the Darkside. We will play attacking, fun no-holds-bard brand of ultimate doing it for the North Side.

Those who attend North Side schools, grow up, move to or just live North Side become drawn to the Cobras (Or whatever the name is at that time). From this point on We Are NORTH SIDE ULTIMATE (NSU)!

If you are interested in playing for NORTH SIDE ULTIMATE (NSU) at BPL or in future leagues or tournaments send you expression of interest to Reece Stewart at stewart.reece@gmail.com or myself, Finn at huckleberry.mccarthy@gmail.com but most importantly sign up to the Facebook group.

JOINS US on Facebook @ North Side Ultimate group http://www.facebook.com/groups/223544444400014/

Back to Back

For the first time last week, in Cobra's short but highly celebrated past, we broke a club record. Finally Cobra's have strung together back to back wins. Just in time too, as we come down to the pointy end of the season, Cobra's seem to have kicked it up a notch with a comprehensive win over Dojo Mojo.

The night started off as like any other Thursday night. Cobra's rocked up and threw for a while before getting into the pre-game ritual of the highly recommended dump-swing-score. The clock struck 7:40pm on that somewhat nippy night and stand-in BPL overlord Wetnose pushed the button on the timer to begin what would be a ground breaking 90 minutes.

The entire first half was trading with a break to Cobra's. At about 3-all. The Cobra's received the pull right at their goal line. Foolishly Isaac Stone got himself up to a high stall count against the Dojo zone. He looks for his dump in me, about 4m away. In what was a very easy break mark shot, Isaac somehow shanked the short pass. It was floating halfway between me and a defender. I could see him running for it and as I got lower to try to catch it, the defender got his hand to it and smacked it down. But I was still falling towards him and he was still running towards me. I was getting lower and lower until my nose and lips copped the full brunt of his shoulder. I knew it was going to bleed so I took myself off quickly to get some tissues.

The next few points seemed to haze into one another as I was frantically trying to stop the bleeding. Taking medical tips from people who had done a first aid course... years ago, Mike Nolan (who used to be a paramedic) and of course Isaac who is an absolute amature, I eventually stuck some tissue in my left nostril and got back on the field.

It was an O point that I rejoined. I caught the pull and looked to Trachter on my left. I think my eyes were still a bit shaken up because I threw it plain away. I took myself off and played sparingly until half-time. Cobra's went into half full of energy and confidence but knowing that there was still another half of ultimate to be played, the score being 8-6.

The score traded for the first 3 points of the second half, from then on it was Cobra's all the way home. Highlights included; Finn catching a Callahan, Abra getting some sweet horizontal D's, Dan Young using his hops to get blocks and 2 filthy (not in the good way) hammers from Wetnose.

So that was the night for Cobra's we played really sweet offence most of the time and hard man D. We also dabbled back into the zone from last week, which seemed to work well, even against Dojo being so handler heavy (by that I mean old) team.

This week sees the Cobra's got head to head with Minor Premiership contenders Moreton Bay Buggers. We are hoping to revenge this team for the draw the occurred between the teams last round. This time we take them on with more bite.

When Fisting Goes Wrong

If you have come to this website to seek help for Hemorrhoids, or you seem to have trouble holding your bowel movements inside, please read no further. Although, after this game I found it hard to keep my innards where they belong. After a two week break the Cobra's returned to the BPL like a mob flash dance, leaving everyone staring in awe.

We came up against thee Big guns of the competition, the previously undefeated, Passion. The last outing for Cobra's was a bit of a disappointment in terms of outcomes (a draw), but very successful in terms of playing as a team and getting those connections happening. This week, we improved in both departments. Our offence was smooth, flowing and smart. Our defence was not as good as it could have been, but with some lucky turns can be passed as good.

The game started just after 7:30pm. The wind was non-existent as per usual. The crowd swelled up to an all-time high of 3 spectators. The Cobras started on offence and scored. Passion scored, J-Mac starts the next point with a brick, going out the back of the endzone. The pull goes out the back of the endzone for the next two points that Passion score. I think Tyson just needed to tell John 'just relax ayy' before they started landing in.

Passion got up early by one, but the Cobra's fought back to take half 8-7. During the break, we talked about how it felt good to be up at half, but we needed to keep our heads down and keep playing the game. After some settling words from Wetnose, Abra took the floor with his always impressive g-up speeches. It certainly worked.

Cobra's started the second half on defence, straight away we broke with a deep huck from halfway of Wetnose to Jack, who made a somewhat awkward layout/fall to drag is toes for a goal. A couple of points later I was outside the scoring endzone with disc in hand looking at Dan Young on the break side, when someone calls a pick. I then get tunnel vision and see only Dan Young. I look at him and then the front corner, thinking about the scoober I will throw to him. Unbeknownst to me, some defence chump is also looking at me and my eyes. He has played with me too much and knows me too well. As soon as the disc is checked in I throw the scoober, only for him to give it a big old WHAMMY! to the ground. I could only smile.

The game was really tight up until 2 minutes to go at 11-9 Cobra's up. Wetnose frantically calls a time out to see how much time is left. The rest of the Cobra's talk about what a shit time-out it was and proceeded to take the field. We then score the next point to take the game 12-9. Passion were the undefeated team of the competition and since the first round has finished, does this mean that the Cobra's are the team to beat in the competition. Possibly a jump in power rankings?

Passion seemed to be playing with 3 players, the aforementioned, Gref and Julz. All three of these players have great throws, they just need to utilize good receivers in the team like Alex and Tyson. Although Alex is a great handler..... he should of been cutting the whole night. At one point I was guarding Julz. The disc went up for another receiver and I thought they have misread it so I stopped running and Julz gallops straight past me to clean up the sloppy seconds for an easy and very embarrassing point. He didn't even sky me. Even with half my height in vertical jump, he could still sky me. To say the least Passion did not have their best game of the season.

Big Props to Finn for a sweet cross-field inside-out backhand for a goal, Wetnose for some sick D and huge grabs. Isaac had a really sweet dishy pass to Abra for the score. All up Cobra's started to play more as star team rather than a team of stars. The Cobra's are just warming up for their Revenge Rampage, although we might not even have a team next week due to Nationals committments.

Also during the Bye for Cobras, A Juniors training camp was held in Geelong. During the camp both of the Stone's found out that they were in the in team and are both going to be over in Germany with me in July/August. Congratulations Boys.

Let the Cobra Revenge Rampage Begin.

Gotta Want It

Last night saw the first round match up of Cobras Vs Slamtown Flatball Club (SFC).

The game started out fairly even, with teams trading for the first couple of points. SFC started to pull away towards the end of the second half after capitalising on some sloppy offence and defence coming from the Cobras side of the disc.

Cobras then clawed back a few to come within one point of SFC. Unfortunately Cobras could not hold out the rampant hucks and hammers that the spiritual leader of the flatballers was providing them with. Slamtown took the half 8-6.

During the break Cobras decided to try to get the basics right, by looking to dump early in the count and most of all make completions. They came out with a better attitude and a more focused game during the second half. The teams traded for the first couple of points before SFC decided to put a foot down and managed to grab two break points.

It was starting to get desperate for the Cobras staring down the barrel of their first loss of the season. SFC were right outside the endzone, Cobras players were holding on with their fingernails in defence, I saw a pass get made into the endzone to a semi-open player. I thought to myself 'ooooh shit'. When from behind comes legendary stalwart of the Cobras outfit, Finn. Getting horizontal for a somewhat gratuitous, but still sick layout d. Cobras then converted to make the scores about 13-10.

But lo and behold SFC were a determined competitor on the night, they then scored two more points and it was all over. In the end it came down to the desire to win. SFC definately ran harder and converted more opportunities than the Cobras boys. They also had a determination, they simply wanted to win more than we did. Which in the end sealed them the win 15-10.

Asked after the game how he had channeled such devastating form, Stefan replied 'I was listening to AC/DC all night'. The self-confessed A**hole lead his team well on their winning debut in the BPL and issued a stern warning to the rest of the competition. Watch out for the hippies and beach bums in the orange shorts.