Santa Delivers to UQ Lovers

The tree has been decorated, the presents have been wrapped, the rum balls have been rolled in coconut and the drinks fridge has been filled. Time for one last little pressie - a gift from us here at the DojoMojo Blog to anybody out there with an eye for top shelf Ultimate.

Well, maybe not the very uppermost shelf. With the Grand Final of Brisbane Premier League Season 3 2008 being postponed for a week, both the finalist teams found themselves losing key players to pre-Christmas travels. Messy Bugs were worst hit, losing at least 3 or 4 key guys and resorting to gun pickup Kristen Nott (from sister team Slippry, and one of only two females playing in the BPL) to make up a seven-player line. Facing up against a Lovers team missing really only big Julian Sacre, the Messy team were going to have to work a Christmas miracle to win their fourth (?) straight title.

So, with that intro let's get into the action:



More turnovers than goals! Not the most impressive game we've ever seen. And on it went:



Halftime saw Lovers way up and the crowd more or less giving up on the prospect of seeing a tight contest. Could Messy find a way to hold onto their hard-won reputation? Here's how the second half started:



But don't stop watching just yet - with the final looking like it was heading toward another blowout the focus of the UQ boys seemed to drift towards the contents of the post-game esky rather than scoring the winning goal, opening the door for a Messy comeback. But surely they couldn't come back from 15-8 down?



So there you go. A brief slip-up toward the end, but an easy win for UQ Lovers was never in doubt. Final score must have been something like 16-11. We're calling Pete Allen as Player of the Match, and not just because he kept his power grip flick in the bag.

And while we're here, we should also give a standing ovation to Dan Walls who this season took out both the DojoMojo Blog's Above&Beyond title and also the Brisbane Premier League's Most Valuable Player Award. So it's not just us that reckon Dan is the absolute business.

Next BPL season starts mid-late January 2009 and of course the coverage here at the DojoMojo Blog will be live (within reason) and uninterrupted as usual. Perhaps there'll even be the odd post in the interim...

Bob-a-Job with Pete Allen

Some people know Pete Allen as a young man capable of destroying the game of any frisbee team simply by tipping it to win. But we here at the Dojo know him as a mild-mannered student (not really sure what he's studying) who, unlike most other Gen-Y kids, earns his pocket money the old-fashioned way by doing odd jobs around the Dojo gardens.

Before he had to run off to lectures yesterday he spent the morning raking the pebbles of our meditation courtyard into patterns resembling waves breaking on a rocky shore, and when he'd finished we chatted for a while about our semifinal last week and the upcoming BPL Grand Final between his team - UQ Lovers - and Messy Bugs. Here's a sample of the insights Pete had to offer:

DojoMojo Blog: Beautiful work with the rake as usual, Pete. It's understandable that a man with your delicate touch finds using the power flick grip a little tricky sometimes... Now - let's firstly discuss our game last week. Try as we might, we just can't actually remember Lovers scoring 15 goals in that game. It's like you guys won without us really noticing! Can you explain that???

Pete Allen: I can’t really explain that win at all last week, the first half was pretty terrible on our part in terms of offense but the defense really kept us in the game, along with some dodgy offense from you guys as well... The second half is where we really got away with a few breaks, slowly building the lead. I’d like to think that the telling off from Buzz during one of the huddles struck a nerve with the whole team and made us play a heck of a lot better (I believe it was mainly directed at myself for multiple wayward short flicks at the start of the game *cough* flick powergrip sucks *cough*).

DMB: Yes, there was only 1 point in it for a long time there, but as the legs (and brains) of the kenshi started running out of steam the big plays started to be less and less successful. No doubt the many easy turnovers and errant hucks from the Dojo were a welcome gift?

PA: As unusual as it is to see Dojo turn the disc over it did happen a lot during the game. And yeah it was a little bit of a gift. Maybe this is why Dojo hasn’t won a semi-final this year. But that is the game of ultimate - you can have the best game ever one day and then not catch a disc the next. I reckon the main reason that can blamed for Dojo having a plethora of turnovers was that you warmed up. You should have stuck to the old faithful Dojo email warm-up.

DMB: Hmmm - well, that'll teach us for spending too much time at The Cultimate Opinion. And with that loss we've clocked up a hat-trick of semifinal losses for the Dojo this year. As much as it may not be in your best interests, is there anything in particular you think the kenshi need to work on to redress this situation?

PA: Losing a hat-trick of semi-finals is not ideal but when you keep playing UQ in the semis it is bound to keep happening. They don’t lose semi’s that often (or is it that Dojo doesn’t win semi’s - I’m not too sure). What I envision for next season is a semi-final where UQ doesn’t play Dojo and we end up with a Dojo vs. UQ final. That is what the people of Brisbane want to see. For you guys to pull this off though, you may have to think about getting some younger blood into the team sometime in the near future. It may hurt to do it, but then you’ll at least make sure the Dojo Way continues in the years to come.

DMB: Yes, well we've got some plans in motion on all of those fronts. And if only Dojo hadn't been handed a penalty forfeit earlier in the season then that dream of a Dojo v UQ final may indeed have been realised tonight... But no matter. Can we expect to see more of the "strong silent type" of play from Lovers in the big game tonight, or will you perhaps be letting your long game off the leash? It's only Wetnose guarding the Messy endzone, after all...

PA: Not quite sure what you mean by “strong silent type” of play, if you are referring to the improved short game we have this season and the fact that we don’t talk much then maybe we will see more of that this week, but it will be intermingled with the massive long shots we are capable of even if Julz decides to go to Sydney early (Wetnose doesn’t really phase us, even if he has become quite a force in the air). I’ll be doing my best to woo the opposition players into a conversation on the field before suddenly busting long.

DMB: Yep - as far as we're concerned, the "conversation fake" is the primary benefit of a classical education... And lastly, which player from each grand finalist team are you expecting to see something really spectacular from?

PA: My picks for plays of the game on Thursday are: from Messy - Silent George, who is freakishly fast across the ground, and maybe he’ll dive to take a spectacular goal or something; and from Lovers - Al Don will get a massive D to win the match. All in all if the game actually happens then it will be the most spectacular game you will witness this year.

DMB: Then let's hope it does! We'll certainly be at the fields with the video camera at the ready, hoping to see an epic struggle for end-of-year BPL supremacy. Thanks for the chat, Pete.

The Only "Training" We Do

As we glide out of the city headed for the restful Dojo gardens in the hills, reclining for the next hour or so in the the airconditioned luxury (spartan as it may be) of QR's long-distance service, we find ourselves at last with some time to reflect on the win that should have been last week on Field 2 at AJFC.

Perhaps that's not actually a good thing, as thinking back over the game instantly sends the mood of this writer plummeting, and with no video to show from our last outing of 2008 there's plenty of writing to do...

Or maybe there isn't. We could instead fulfil our duty of reporting on Dojo exploits this week simply by confirming that the semifinal between Dojo and UQ Lovers resulted in Lovers winning 15-10 and advancing through to a Grand Final matchup with Messy Bugs. Basically a replay of last season's final except UQ will have Al Don and Bugs won't have Mike Neild - so hopefully a much more exciting game for the spectators.

Anyway, a brief analysis of the lost semifinal would run something like this:

- Dojo makes spectacular play
- Dojo throws it away (or just drops it)
- UQ plays consistent, simple Ultimate all night and wins easily

From memory (this blog hasn't been around long enough to just check through the archives), the last Grand Final that the Dojo appeared in was this time last year - three whole seasons ago. That game was a memorably tight tussle against Messy Bugs, and eventually a 6-man Dojo (after two kenshi were taken out of play with nasty injuries) was unable to keep up the pace and lost by maybe 2 or 3 points. But the dogged commitment that characterised the Dojo play in that game has really only been seen on a few rare occasions since - this season in particular has been characterised by a glamorous but high-risk style that relies more on sheer talent than grit and determination.

So as we go into the Christmas break it could be said that DojoMojo finds itself at a decision point. Come good on the promise of the tall & talented roster by ramping up the commitment or just kick back and cruise knowing that we can still be strongly competitive during the regular season with minimal effort?

Hopefully this decision will be made over the break and the outcome will be made immediately obvious on the field. We can also confirm that a few changes to the Dojo roster will be taking place before the next season rolls out, and these alone will further enhance Dojo's prospects into the future...

And that's about all that seems prudent to divulge right now. We're also keeping up our sleeve the identities of the all-star cast that will be joining the Sensei in the commentary box for this Thursday's Grand Final game, but we can confirm that those invited are very experienced and opinionated campaigners...

Lastly, but crucially, the final A&B poll for Season 3 is updated to the right, and given the way the system works EVERYONE is still in the running! Who will join Matt Eastburn on the A&B Honour Board? We'll know in just a few days.

Secateurs and Beers with Julian Sacre

Yesterday, as we put down our gardening implements and wiped our brows after a long day of tending our rapidly-growing azaleas and black pines, we wandered back to our main Shoin via the bamboo grove with nothing in mind but a long, cold Yebisu beer. Rounding the corner we shouldn't have been the least bit surprised to encounter the unusually large silhouette of a steadily permbulating Julian Sacre.

Pleased to see him, but also keen to quench our thirst, we invited him up to our southern verandah for a drink and a chat about this week's much-anticipated (especially thanks to the rain delays) BPL semifinal matchup between DojoMojo and UQ Lovers. Here's a selection of the spiciest moments from our conversation:

DojoMojo Blog: Julz - who better to share a post-stroll, pre-game beer & a chat with than your immense self? Now - we see the only BUB tipper not actually involved in this weeks semi (Jangles) is backing Dojo to win. How does it feel going into the game as the underdog, despite Lovers' star-laden roster?

Julian Sacre: Its interesting that you choose to give out the underdog tag based on a sample size of 1. And that 1 is none other than Jangles! If we accept that he's representative of the Brisbane frisbee community then we're all in big trouble. But underdog or not, this so-called star-laden roster has been talked up in many circles from the beginning of the season, which I really don't think has been justified. If you compare the two UQ rosters there is very little separating those teams, and indeed the rest of the teams in this week's semis.

DMB: That may be very well be true, Julz. But then we also note that Pete Allen is backing Lovers, his own team. Sure - this is admirably faithful of him, but has he forgotten his uncanny knack of ruining a team's prospects simply by tipping it to win?

JS: I am backing Pete to put in a man of the match performance and reverse his tipping fortunes in the process. He took some huge grabs in last Monday's final squeezed between opposition defenders and is in top form. If he could only start using a power grip with his flick, he'd be unstoppable.

DMB: Well, he certainly says he's been reviewing footage of his flick and has some sort of devastating new move to unveil this week. At least we're hoping it's this week, or otherwise he's already unveiled it and nobody noticed... But now onto a man whose power-grip flicks we could all spend more time studying - Buzza. Who has been allocated the crucial job of escorting Mr Burwell to the fields?

JS: Buzz is so pumped for this game, he's already at the fields waiting. I drove through Annerley this morning and saw him throwing high 50m blades to himself. Rumour has it he was actually unavailable to play last Thursday (possibly due to your aptly timed 4:59pm intervention), so that storm may have been a really bad turn of luck for the kenshi.

DMB: Actually Julz, all our strategies rely entirely on Buzz being on the field - we'd be more lost without him than you! And speaking of key contributors, who do you think will make the biggest (successful) layout grab/D of the night? Not Andy Lankowski, presumably?

JS: Andy who? Nah... Dan Walls is the man.

DMB: "Andy who"? Perhaps three replays of Coopers' stunning layout attempt from our last game against your pink-shirted colleagues wasn't enough for you? And when it gets down to the semis it's a shame we can only video one game at a time. So what about the other semi? No doubt it'll be a tough tussle between the two Bug units, but which one do you reckon will still be standing at the end of the night?

JS: A 'tough tussle' alright. Based on recent history with those teams, we can only wonder whether those words might describe the game literally. If Wetnose calls a foul on Mat Ryan for breathing too loudly, we should all be on high alert. Assuming the game concludes in a manner that resembles a normal game of ultimate, I would expect Messy to come out on top. They've had a very consistent season and have a very experienced roster.

Hmmm, well then we'll leave the trash-talking of Liam and the Messy boys for next week (that's if they can get past their Slippry flipside tomorrow night!) - mostly as it would also implicate your teammate Stu Austin, and we wouldn't want to upset his delicate composure this close to a big game...

Another beer, Julz?

Straight to the Point With Liam

It's 4pm on the day of the BPL semifinals, so we thought we'd sneak in a quickie with that most balletic of Ikebana (and sometimes Ultimate) masters - Liam "Wetnose" Gillions.

This is despite him making some rather "pointed" comments on our previous post, but we love that stuff.

So - while Liam was placing fresh orchids about the place we asked him to make a few quick tips in relation to tonight's semis. Here's what he had to say:

DojoMojo Blog: Righto Wetnose. Let's get straight down to it. Which teams are you tipping to win tonight's semifinals and 5/6 playoff, and why?

Liam Gillions: Teams to win: Messy, Dojo, Double forfeit.

DMB: Which of tonight's games do you expect to be the closest and most exciting, and why?

LG: The 5/6 playoff will be very interesting to watch. I don't know if a 4 man Rawhide will really have what it takes to beat a 3 man Passion. Should be an interesting zone defence set up though.

DMB: Which player(s) do you expect to make the standout contributions in these sudden-death matchups, and why?

LG: Whilst obviously Julz with be skying Sensei in the Dojo/Lovers match up, I think Mike Neild (if his ankle is alright) will stand up, like he always does in the big games.

DMB: Which player(s) do you expect to rack up the highest number of throwaways, and why?

LG: Throwaways will be a tie between Jason Ray, and Matt Eastburn. Tony Ross to throw the most hammers.

DMB: Who would you pick as your 3-person "dream team" to put in the commentary box for the Grand Final coverage?

LG: Obviously you would need to have myself in the commentary box (if not playing) but also would need M Ryan and J McNaughton for some good trashtalking and actually well informed commentary. Keep Sarah Sandford & Will Churchill well away from the commentary though.

DMB: Very interesting, Liam. It's always good to know that a spot in the commentary box awaits those that don't make it through to the big game - we'll be sending out our invitations as soon as the finalists have been confirmed!

*As we publish this post the terrible news has come through that tonight's semifinals have been postponed to next week, presumably due to the rather fearsome electrical storm currently passing through...

Last Ride Into the Sunset?

It's Monday. Four full days after the rain stopped for just long enough to allow the final round of Brisbane Premier League for 2008 to be played (without completely destroying the fields) and yet nothing until now here at the DojoMojo blog.

And it gets worse - there's no video this week. With no Marijke, and just the one wobbly-handed sub available on the sideline at any time, the camera stayed sadly stowed in the kitbag. Luckily we've got last week's highly gratuitous, failed layout attempt from Andy Lankowski to enjoy over and over again until the finals get started this Thursday night...

So, in the interests of providing quality (if not quite up-to-the-second) Dojo-related BPL reportage, let's quickly look back to that last regular season game against Rawhide. Hmmm... Well, what sticks in the mind from this distant vantage point is that it was a reasonably perfunctory win for the Dojo. The highlight of the night from this writer's perspective was without doubt the precision hammer for a goal from Matt Eastburn to a full speed receiver flanked by a pair of defenders, neither of whom were more than a couple of steps away. Sadly that set a precedent which many others attempted to emulate (without success) later in the game... Final score was 15-7.

The Rawhide compadres were as well-spirited and keenly competitive as ever, but not unlike UQ Passion from a few weeks back they just don't have the depth of numbers to tackle the Dojo this season. In fact, they may very well not have the numbers to even take the field next season - a very unfortunate state of affairs. It seems those UQ and Bug mega-teams just keep gobbling up all the fresh new talent, like the Microsoft and Apple of Brisbane Ultimate. If there are any entrepreneurial youngsters (or oldsters) out there wanting to step out of the shadows and shape their own team, now would be a good time.

Anyway, the A&B poll is updated for voting as usual on the right and most importantly - vote for us in the logo battle over at The Cultimate Opinion. As this post goes online we're just narrowly in front of team "AIR", about whom we know very little.