Round 4 vs Heroes

Week 4 saw the Cobras face up against the Heroes. The quiver was somewhat depleted this night with Finn, JJ, Tractor and of course Reece out of the mix. As a seventh cobra slithered to the line just before huck-off, the snakes, playing savage, knew they would have to play out of their scaly skins to avoid a repeat of the game that will live in infamy (as viewed through snake eyes).

The first few points were reasonably even with both the handlers from both teams able to evade the defenders and throw safe scores. The cobras then consolidated their stack movement and befriended the breeze, hucking their way to a 5-2 lead.

Not to be denied, the Heroes were able to curl the disc around the zone and shamed the odd defender by getting the disc on the open side in one-on-one contest. The men in green and white revelled in escaping precarious positions on the field and through quick disc movement, levelled the scores at 6-all.

From this juncture, the Cobras were poised to strike. They took half 8-6 running a clinic of endzone offence. The frisbee Gods smiled upon the serpents as an assortment of hammer-hucks, scoobers and other less-than-convential passes found their way into the Cobra endzone. It was also a much improved defensive performance from the snakes as they denied many a downfield option. Abra did well to keep Jangles under wraps, Kalin stymied all he faced and Wetnose showed the method to his madness of playing off an opponent with a goal-saving layout block.

After a post-half 6-0 run to bring up game-point, the Cobras let their guard down and allowed the Heroes a 3-0 streak of their own. Alas, it wasn’t enough to boost them out of the snake pit as a Mike Nolan scoober was clasped by a backwards diving Micka to seal the game 15-9. The serpents have gelled and unlocked the door to enjoying playing competitive ultimate. In hope to consolidate our spot at the top of the table, we now take on the UQ lovers in what should be an epic clash – just ask Erhart.

Round 3 vs Dojo

Mike Nolan Jr with this week's write up:


Hello again from the depths of the Cobras’ Lair. Apologies for the sparse updates recently, but resident typo-machine Reece Stewart has still been too busy bouncing between European countries to do the write-ups. This week, I’ll do all I can to make with the opponent bad-mouthing and Cobra confidence building. So on to the match report!
Week three of the latest BPL season saw the Cobras taking on Brisbane’s perennial bridesmaids, the DOJO. The Cobras and DOJO traded a few points at the start of the match, but then DOJO turned it on to take a few breaks. They must have pulled strength from deep within their angst in losing twice in a row to the Cobras during the reptiles’ unbeaten streak in the previous season to reach the finals. Regardless of their motivation, the DOJO easily took half, leaving the Cobras down by more than a few and needing to rally hard in the second half.
Following some much needed motivation and team-strategy halftime talk, the Cobras came out firing on all cylinders, bringing the game to within three points shortly after halftime. Sadly, they couldn’t keep the momentum long enough to bring the score differential to within two, and the DOJO wound up scoring the final goal to finish off the Cobras 15-13.
The match was quite even-sided for most aspects of the game: Cobras’ offence was patient but lacked decisiveness when it came to tough throws while DOJO seemed to swing the disc successfully 20-30 times before pulling out a dodgy hammer or scoober. In the end, the height and ability of players like Leon and Pete Allen afforded an all-too-easy emergency option on four or five desperation hucks, blady forehands and hospital-pass hammers to the endzone. The Cobras need to develop a strategy to shut down these primary receivers during their next meeting with the DOJO in order to turn their three point loss performane into a one or two point victory.
The next week of games sees the Cobras taking on the fledgling Heroes, who are out to prove that they can beat any BPL team on any given Thursday. One can only imagine that the Heroes will be turning on the pressure, hoping to repeat the result of their lone victory over the Cobras from the last BPL season. It shouldn’t be a game to miss, especially considering it will be the first time the Cobras play against ex-fellow teammate Carl “Bear Hug” Behrendoofus.
Until next time, see you out on the fields.

Love and kisses,
Mike Nolan, Jr.

Round One vs Slamtown

So all has been a bit quiet on the Cobras blogging front with the absence of young Reece Stewart to worldly travel for a few weeks.

In his absence, not-quite-so-young James "JJ" Jackson has stepped up the fill the void (at least for the time being). So here is what he had to say about the Cobras first up game, and first ever win, against Slamtown:


Coming back to the graveyard of last seasons final loss, Cobras were eager to bury the pain with a first round victory over Slamtown.

With the departures of receiver Dan Young and cutter Carl (to fierce rivals Heroes), coupled with the absence of Aussie Thunder captain Reece Stewart, there was a sense of uncertainty surrounding how the team would perform.

However, with the addition of experienced head Erhart (?) and the dynamic Kalin (fresh from Canada), expectations were still decidedly high going into the new campaign.

Slamtown, renowned for their raw athleticism and child-like enthusiasm for the game, came out firing, with gun players Steff and Morgs getting crucial connections to trouble the Cobras defense.

At 4-7, a worried Wetnose called a timeout, with slow transitioning and skill errors highlighting the Cobras game.

A concise and punchy pep-talk from Abra honed the teams concentration, with Cobras coming out the stronger after the short break, putting the clamp on the Slamtown offense with a seamless man D.

When the inevitable turns came, Cobras smooth and fast-paced O took no prisoners, with slick cutting from Finn and perfect service from Abra allowing the snakes to take half 8-7. After the break it was a demolition, with Cobras new found maturity allowing the snakes to pile on the points to take it out to 14-7.

A limp charge from the Gold Coast added some respectability to the scoreline, but not enough to get above the water line of double figures, the pain ending mercifully at 15-9.

Call it or leave it

We've all had those moments on the field, right? That one where you think you were fouled/picked/double teamed and didn't call it. What did you do? Did you start getting into a shouting match with the other team? No. You walked away, learnt your lesson, and reminded yourself that if you believe you are wronged you call it. Well, maybe some people need a refresher in that course after the Cobras/Dojo game last night. People from both teams. Perhaps a new post on the Dojo blog that now is looking as active as the Buggers blog?

That being said, it was one small blip on the radar that was a hotly contested match last night. When it was all said and done, all parties involved agreed that it should either been called and discussed, or left alone, then shook hands and congratulated each other.

The Dojo got up in this game 15-10 to reach the half way stage of the season undefeated, and the Cobras suffered their 2nd ever defeat to sit in 3rd place for the season with a 2-2 record.

The real difference in this game? Option taking by the Cobras. With most of the Cobras tall timber sitting at home/Sydney/Canberra with either work commitments or other pussy-related injuries, the Cobras needed to play a quick game against a much taller opponent, but failed to put this into action.

The handler heavy Dojo worked the disc well all night and punished any mistake taken by the Cobras. A mid-game black out resulting in a field change also didn't help the Cobras, who would have taken the game on what has become their favourite field. That being said, the Cobras do remain undefeated on all games played and completed on field 3B. Yeah 3B!

The Cobras now don't have a game for 4 weeks due to a training week, a bye week, and a week off for AUG, which really is just the LD's way of showing UQ some love. They need it after all, with both UQ teams fighting it out for the half way stage wooden spoon last night with Lovers getting the win after finally getting all their main guys in the field and getting their rookies improve and an exponential rate.

Getting that winning feeling

So we've been a bit slack and slow with our posting this week due to the usual busy period that comes in the first weeks of the month finalising the accounts for this high demand, high turnover (pun intended) organisation that is the Cobras.

Last week, however, the Cobras got back into the winners circle with a hard fought win over the UQ Passion, making the record for the season: UQ Club 0, Cobras 2. Take that! And while it finished up 13-11 to the Cobras, it was a tense affair.

The game started out with both teams trading points, and Jules showing up his customary 10 minutes late. Scores were tied at 4-4, before the Cobras struck with deadly accuracy to take half 8-5. Some epicly long points (both a result of good defence and poor offence) eventuated in the 2nd half and the score was Cobras 12-11 when the scores went. It was Passion's 2nd time this season they have been 11-12 down with 1 point to go (previously losing 13-11 to the Buggers in round 2).

The Cobras received the pull and worked it up the field, taking care with every pass. That was until someone let their idiot captain have the disc and, forgetting that he doesn't have any throws, tried to thread it up the line to Messr Truter, only to over throw it and turn the disc over.

The Cheeseburger calmly walked the disc up to the front of the endzone and then, in try UQ laziness style, just threw it two-thirds of the length of the field to ground. No receiver error, no defence block. Thanks for that Jmac!

The game finished with a Mike Nolan All-American-BBQ-coated crossfield hammer to Cupcake in the endzone for the win. Go Cobras!

The game this week is against the undefeated Dojo, who defeated a Mike-Nield-less Buggers 13-11 last week. Should be a good one!

Back down to earth

After a first up big win against Lovers, the Cobras were left to slither back into their holes following an ego-checking loss to the table-topping Buggers, 15-10.

The game was probably a couple of points closer than that scoreline suggests but the Bugs were deserving winners, capitalising on the mistakes made by Cobras and using their key players effectively.

The Bugs took half 8-5, but the Cobras took the next 2 points to bring it back to 8-7. The momentum of the game see-sawed throughout the entire match, with the Bugs taking the ascendancy late in the game.

Intensity was great throughout the game, although players from both teams chucked some small wobblies a couple of times. Neither team was prepared to give an inch, a trait which is a mark of the Bugs team, and while this resulted in some heated discussions, all players were able to look each other in the eye at the end of the game, shake hands, and congratulate each other sincerely (or at least that's how it seemed).

Special mention to Reece who did a great job of minimising the impact of the dangerous J-Ray, and also all the other boys who marked up on the Bugs A-list stars to force a close match and many endzone turnovers.

Next game is against Passion who pushed the Bugs all the way a couple of weeks ago, only to go down 14-12. Should be a cracker!


PS. Is anyone reading this thing? Let us know what you think and what you would like to see more/less of. Thanks

On the board

Last Thursday saw the Cobras take to the field for their first game of competition. They were up against a team of old heads and young legs in the UQ Lovers.

Most of the Cobras had been at training a couple of weeks ago and 4 of them were in the winning team from the Brisbane Indoor Championships. As a result of this preparation, the Cobras started the game with great intensity, blowing UQ out of the water to take half 8-1. This was achieved through smart decision making, good execution, and all round good looks. Exploiting some of UQ's newer players also helped, but these blokes will surely come along in leaps and bounds before these 2 teams meet again.

During the 2nd half, the Cobras decided to try some different styles of both offense and defence. A combination of this and of a drop in intensity saw the Lovers get a few points on the board, although the lead was never seriously in doubt. After reverting back to the way the started the game, the Cobras closed things out 15-7 to record a win in their very first outing and move to 2nd on the BPL table.

Next week they take on the top of the table Moreton Bay Buggers, which will be a big test for this new team against a team that has reverted to selections for this season of BPL. The Cobras will need to bring a big game to match it with Big Mike and the Bugs.