Falling Behind

So I find myself with not so much time as I used to have. This is due to a couple of consecutive weekends of events, I have been busier than Wetnose in bed (is that busy or not?). But have found a spare hour or two on my lovely Sunday night to bring you all up to date on what has been happening around the swamp.

So in the week I was away at nationals. A very understrength Cobras went down to SFC 14-6. This could be expected with many of the top tier Cobra's not willing to put it on the line two days out of nationals.

The next game against Lovers, I had just returned from Nationals, feeling a little bit burnt out, but happy (Thunder placed 13th, beat seed by 3!). Many a memorable moments for me, some good, a lot bad. We traded all game with Lovers. I was in the stack with aL on guarding me. I had just started playing in my new boots, I made an out cut, planted my foot and did what felt like a sweet, sweet turn to come under. I thought to myself 'that was a sweet turn aL must be a couple of meters off now'. I looked to JJ to feed it to me, as he threw the disc I could hear panting and foot steps behind me. I knew this wasn't good. aL got a come from behind layout block on me, for that I congratulate you sir. Now that I think about it I think that is the first time that has ever happened to me. Congratulations.

Other miseries from the game include being 13-14 down just after Lovers had pulled to us. Robbie is on the sideline just outside our defending end zone. He looks to dump it to me. I have no one on me. He throws it right at me. While the disc floats through the air perfectly to me, I think about where I will throw the disc and stone cold drop the disc. Lovers then score to win. 13-15.

Now to the latest Cobra's opponent, Heroes. They had lost their self-professed MVP Jangles to a knee injury from nationals. Cobra's rocked up differently to how they did for their last engagement. We warmed up well and got some throws under the belt for what was a rather windy Brisbane night.

Cobra's started on defence and came down in a puppy-fence straight away. We luckily found the Heroes Achilles heel right off the bat. We broke for the first point of the game.

We were nearing half at about 6-1 and tried to switch our defence up, just to keep them on their toes. We came down in man. That point, we found out the age old lesson of, if it ain't broke.....

I seem to remember one point Heroes were coming downwind against our zone, they worked it well all the way to our end zone, it took about 50 passes, but it got there. Only to come undone with one stray pass. Cobra's then scored the up-winder for half. Cobras took half 8-2, with our very effective zone and some very cool offence.

The second half Cobra's came out just as, if not more focused as the first. We did what we needed to do to win the game. We got blocks and scored. That is not to say we didn't work hard for those blocks. Myall and George were working hard to get through our zone. They did very well popping and putting nice leading passes into space through the cup.

I believe we won the second half 7-0 (?), to win 15-2. This is how we wanted to play against Heroes in the first round, but were utterly disappointed. This time we came out and played some focused ultimate, working as a unit.

We are now back to full strength and we need to be for the rest of the season. In the coming weeks we have a bye, Buggers, Dojo and Passion. We need to win nearly all of these games to be in the finals. Let's get amongst it boys.

Game Faces

Thursday night saw the Cobras matched up against the new kids on the block, Heroes. Like many over at BUB, I thought this would be something like a cake walk. I was rudely awakened by the game that unfolded and tumbled before my eyes.

I will admit that I thought this was going to be an easy game, I came into the game expecting a little challenge from Jangles and Silent (or is it Agressive these days?) George. But mostly expecting to just walk in and take an easy 15 points and get home early. To say that the Cobra's underestimated Heroes is an understatement. We came into the game with nearly no respect. That is what lost us the game, that mindset.

The Heroes came out with a very effective poachy man defence. This caused many easy turns and blocks for them. They were really effective in utilising Jangles' speed and newly found flick huck. Jangles' was getting way too many hucks out, so the Cobras changed to a straight up force. This did nothing to stop the relentless hucks, nor did it get any of the down field guarders a block. With many of the hucks sticking and the Cobra's offence looking very shaky, the Heroes jumped out to a 2 point lead and took half 8-6.

During the break Cobra's leader, Wetnose, emphasized the fault in our glory game play. We were throwing shots for goals that were never on, all for the glory. He then went on to explain the consequences of such actions as "whoever throws the next shit huck, I am going to kick you in the balls". Not too many points later, Wetnose made a great swing cut, he sized up his options with the disc and saw a black uniform going long. His brain exploded and he threw a flick that floated gracefully into an empty endzone due to miscommunication, much to the annoyance and self-loathing of Mr Wetnose.

With that I reeled back in many of my choices and instead did not complete my short throws up the line and on dump passes. The tender Trachter turned up just to watch, but somehow ended up with his boots on and warming up to be injected into the game in hopes of steadying the Cobra's ship. The help never came.

The Cobra's continued to push the long shots, look off the dump and were still not believing what was happening, when sideline called time cap. Cobras had taken a few points back after half, but were still very shaky. The Heroes has just scored a goal to even it out to 11 all, on universe point.

The Cobra's were in prime position to play patient offence and walk the disc up the field for the win. But we could not shake the game that we had played all night and threw it away. With that Jangles swiftly hucked it down field and as per usual, a Heroes receiver was there to collect it. My memory of this goal has been swallowed by the misery that quickly enveloped me.

To say the least Heroes scored it, ending the game 12-11. Leaving the Cobras in disbelief. Heroes had a blinder that night, in the wise words of song smith Bob Dylan, "They had god on their side". Let it be said that the Heroes definately had their game faces on from the start, Cobra's were still looking for them when they went to bed that night.

We are already planning the downfall of the Heroes, if we are to face them next round (?), or in the finals.