“I entered this match off a long losing streak. My mindset was to approach it is a learning game with the following goals:

GOALS

1. Identify what my opponent did well, so I can use it when I play as that team (Dark Elves) or when I play against dwarves.

2. Be kind to myself, and identify something I did well.

LUCK

A little note on luck, first, as it did influence the game.

1. Officious Ref event kicked out the Dark Elves best player. Shocking for my opponent.

2. 19% of elf dice were pow or pow push- very low.

3. Double skulls (1db skull into 1db skull) for elves to make the 2 turn touchdown an option.

4. Dwarves failed 3 of 6 rush attempts, fortunately the one to score was not one.

DARK ELVES

My opponent was aggressive on defense, and caused me all sorts of headaches. The following was done well:

1. Pressured the back of my cage, blitzing off corners, and tagging my ball carrier. This forces the blitz to be directed there, and halts forward blitz momentum.

2. Tagged out and isolated my players, before quickly repositioning with superior speed and agility. This was done particularly well in Turn 5 where four of our dwarves were isolated, before elves manoeuvred to have 6(!) in front of our cage.

3. Forced us to rush! to score. This failed, but re-roll succeeded. Also pressured an early score, allowing 2 turns to counter.

DWARVES

1. We brought ball up the front LOS, and ensured it was out of blitz range, and protected on all fronts.

2. We took space when it was offered. The aggression of elves behind our cage, opened up some opportunity in front of it in the early stages of the drive.

3. We positioned GUARD skill well- on corner cages in case of cage dive attempt, and on vanguard when pressing into elves.

4. We did not allow easy 2db in most cases. We tried to use GUARD to force unfavourable -2db, or positioned so only 1db available.

5. Flat line defence set up worked, allowing only 1db to try and bypass the corners and move up the sideline. It allowed us to keep players connected, and force unfavourable dodges.

6. We found 4 opportunities for surfing. This surely helped us, and we made use of frenzy. ”