“Wow a real heartbreaker this one. While our season seems doomed anyway, with 2 draw points making little difference, It would have been nice to earn the draw against the two time champs, because it was a mighty brave effort from the team. Looked bad early on, and both teams had some horrible luck at certain times, but at the end twas a nasty way to be denied and a nasty way to show up my inexperience as a premier coach, because those last two turns could have been so much better.

Game started in pouring rain. Toucstone was an Iron man, Ra-Hel was buzzing, the german captain had been locked up, and bad press surrounded the champs. Cation niggled out so we only played with 8 players, wanted to go 1 nil up and just say catch us if you can.. but nuffle had other plans. Before I had bothered to cover the ball Ra-Hel rolled triple skulls, damn Im a fool, amateur hour had begun. Kaiser Wilhelm swooped, scooping up the ball and passing back to Carl Jung. Talaban stripped the ball ok, Touchstone leapt in and passed the ball of to Pendar ok, but in the pouring rain, evidently this was not to be our game. Carl sauntered back and using his bravery and horns badly hurt Pendar for his troubles. Kaiser slotted back passed to Ferdinand Porsche who registered the 1st TD of the game, GV 1-0. Next drive.. what can we do, Rzak Xhen drops back to the ball but this time bloody Niclin fails the catch, again we are exposed. Kaiser swoops and offloads to a pre-caged Porsche. Baj decided it was time to turn the tables gouging the eye of German newcomer Rudolph Hess. next block Ra-Hel repays his coach for seasons of frustration by fracturing the arm of star Storm Vermin Matt Tinsen, a brutal block that leaves the German Apothecaries with no clue. Talaban manages the strip while Touchstone is able to sneak away with the pill. Carl Jung puts him down and he and Porsche sreak away with the ball, but all is not lost for the Echoes, Talaban Jumping up and blitzing Porsche for another stripped ball, Touchstone getting to his feet, grabbing the loose ball, evading a diving tackle and throwing a long bomb to Baj, who despite the rain and the attentions of Hans Kemmler manages to catch the ball, before calmly dodging his way upfield. Rzak Xhen covering Hans as the only German Vermin player within Cooee of the brave Lineelf. The Td becoming reality the next turn, 1-1. The Echoes surprise by holding of the German drive, preventing a reply before halftime despite the Germans having 3 turns to snatch the advantage. 1-1 Halftime.

Weather Changes. German Drive goes well, Suryet fouled back to the dugout. Covered relatively well, forcing the Germans to try out a new reciever, this being the Dirty Linerat Alfred Rosenberg, who Goes for it twice to net the TD. GV 2-1. Ball lands close to the LOS and we opt to send Touchstone off on his own, memories of a probowl game keep him away from the sidelines despite his sidestepping ability. sadly leaving him within range of a Colonel Klink blitz, Touchstoine stunned and Karl Benz in possession of the ball. Cant cover all the players, Talaban thins them out instead, killing the rookie thrower Mark Schwarzer. Karl Benz however does connect with Kaiser Wilhelm who seemingly takes the game out of reach.. GV 3-1. Then a blitz on kickoff.. why do I bother honestly. Kaiser Wilhelm catches the kickoff. Talaban pulls off a mighty blitz, while Niclin does something for once, picking up and passing in traffic to Touchstone who catches in two tackle zones, leaping away and streaking into space. The Germans ignore the ball, instead trying to do away with their tormentor Talaban, but the ref spots the foul and sends Albert Speer off. Touchstone scores and my prediction of a 4-2 loss is looking pretty good. Echoes player manage to put down a good number of the recievers while Touchstone manages to get in the face of Carl Jung deep in German territory. The champs fail to dislodge Baj from his covering position, and while Carl Jung managed to dodge free of Touchstone he couldnt quite position himself for a clear pass, and massive game that he was having, Baj duelly snaffled the pass that was to seal the win for the Germans. Finally our moment, all it takes is a simple dodge, pass and catch from our superstar catcher Touchstone to draw the game, he would move north and be untouchable just to cover any 1 turn scores and we will have our much deserved draw against the two time champs the German Vermin. The moment of madness turn. With it all there for me, I failed to really think things through, I move Niclin up in a semi covering fashion, then I see the play to win the game. Talaban was able to blitz into the crowd the only non sidestepping German gutter runner Carl Jung, who is incidently the only German player who can reach Touchstone, and my half baked move of my thrower had blocked that blitz. God I have only just seen something else in replay, I wasnt going to risk the GFI for the blitz, but Talaban could have just about covered Carl had he simply moved, but I recall having plans to use him to cover Alfred Rosenberg. Dammit. So the primary plan goes ahead, without the solid tactical turn to back it up. Baj dodges.. check.. Baj passes .. check (with reroll), Touchstone has catch skill anyway...and then the unthinkable my Hall of Fame agility 5 Catcher dropped the ball.... aargh. Symm shows his experience and doesnt panic, he covers Talaban, pulls his players back in a cage formation, Carl Jung swooping back to pick the ball out from under a distraught Touchstone, and pass to the Kaiser, safely ensconsced in his Cage. Touchstone attempts to make up for his error, leaping in and blitzing.. but to the despair of the team is unable to bring the sneaky little bugger down. We've blown our chance. German Vermin win 3-2.... aargh. Well Played Symm.. maybe next time i'll have the team and coaching skills to get you... too good mate.

Twahnlows:

3 Votes to #4 Carl Jung - Mainly for the final play, he started the rot with his fine blitz on Pendar, and made sure of the win some 16 odd turns later.

2 Votes to #10 Kaiser Wilhelm - Superstar Gutter Runner picked up a TD and 4 completions, everything he did bespoke class.

1 Vote to #7 Ferdinand Porsche - Stands out in my mind as another gamebreaking Gutter Runner, more class from an experienced hand.”