The Semi, the Town and the Bug
The Semi
The 2 v 3 Semi final was held last week between the Moreton Bay Buggers and the Slamtown Flatball Club. It was a semi final worthy of the great Brisbane Premier League.
The game started with a break to the Buggers in the first 2 points which was quickly followed by a break back for the Gold Coast boys. 2 all and the game was off to a fast and intense start.
It stayed tight throughout the first half with the Buggers working against a zone and the Gold Coast trying to negotiate a man defense. Both offenses were finding ways to score and the turnovers from both teams were reduced from the face off two weeks prior. The Bugs squeezed out another turn and score during the half and the score going into the break was 8 to 6.
While the score remained close during the whole game the play was not stagnant, both teams held periods of ascendancy. It felt like a range of strategies were used as teams attacked and counter attacked, both teams adapted to mistakes that were letting them down. It was a great contest with multiple tight and tense points.
The Gold Coast closed up the gap and when time cap went the score was 11 all. The stakes were high, the lines were stacked and everybody wanted to make the play. Each team turned the frisbee over at least 2 times, twice into the same corner of the endzone for the Bug boys. The winning goal was in line with the rest of the point as a miss thrown floater into the endzone was snatched up the third or fourth guy in line. A desperate point played by both teams who looked pressured.
It was a great semi final with the Gold Coast demonstrating their ever increasing maturity by handling the pressure and the occasion to eek out their first semi final win.
The Town
After 3 seasons in the BPL the first non Brisbane team in the competition will be featured in the grand final. The Slamtown Flatball Club. The Gold Coast team is one of the most exciting additions to the competition of the last 2 years and it is excellent to see them in the final this week.
They are now a team with talent and experience across the list with less dependence on a few key players to get the job done. They do have some top weapons who do the damage however matching up the whole line is now very important for any opposition. They look to attack long against Man D and high and over against a zone. I think they look their best when they utilise their running O to progress the frisbee up the field. An overly exuberant long game in the final this week may not be the strongest strategy.
Regardless of weather the BPL trophy travels south this season or not the Slamtown Flatball Club has made its mark on this BPL season.
The Bug
Another disappointing semi final exit for the Moreton Bay Buggers this season. 3 seasons in a row with the Bugs absent from the final. This season certainly felt like a step forward with better showings against the table leaders (close losses to the Dojo and Slamtown, as well as a draw and win respectively).
Exiting the finals race last week hurt especially as the team feels like things were really just getting started on the field. After a long time struggling with finding systems that work on O and D it has clicked into place at the back end of the season. It will be interesting to see what shape the team takes next season and if we will continue to build on our way back to the final.
We say farewell to Oscar as he heads back to Colombia, a country that has served the Buggers well with 3 men spending multiple seasons under the big bug.
We celebrate the 10th season as a Bugger for Mat Ryan, the 8th man to achieve this milestone.
With the core of the team playing another season together the social and tactical connections are present and healthy. Aside from playing some shocking ultimate on occasion this was a very enjoyable season with the boys and a great team to spend time with.
The Bugs will be back in season 2 and we look forward to building another great team and challenging ourselves again in the best Open league in the country.
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Finally a full game
Well its taken 4 weeks however we have got there. Tonight the Buggers managed to stay focused, energised and play at our high level for the whole game of frisbee.
It has felt like we were just around the corner from capturing our best performance and whilst there are still a list of improvements to be made we are happy with tonight's effort.
An understrength Slamtown Flatball Club was our opposition tonight and while still able to put a quality line on the field, and producing some hard to stop play they were not at their some dangerous tonight. They will be stronger the next time we see them.
Spinner has the numbers better however after a turnover, regain and goal in the first point the Bugs continued strongly and went 3-0? and then 5-2. This continued into half with 8 to 4/5? score line.
A hall mark of the first half was the Bug defense starting ok and generating a couple of turns, and then being worked out and overcome by the Gold Coast. Offense was scoring pretty smoothly for both teams for a little while.
The all white Bugs started the second half on D and worked out how to get blocks though a mix of defenses. In the second half the Buggers scored 7 goals to 3/4 with the final score 15 to 8 Bugs.
A massive feature of this game was that the Bugs didn't turn the frisbee over very much. The count might have even been under half a dozen. I can think of 5. Once the deep threat had been established cutting options became more available.
On the back of 14 big deep pulls that all landed in the field defensive pressure was built up and a few short field goals were the result.
Its a complicated task to get a bunch of players to all work together on the playing the game in a collected and coordinated manner. Tonight we made enough good decisions, worked hard enough with our bodies and minds and all found the right mix of energy, desperation and fun.
The Big Bug tonight was a fine thing to be a part of.
It has felt like we were just around the corner from capturing our best performance and whilst there are still a list of improvements to be made we are happy with tonight's effort.
An understrength Slamtown Flatball Club was our opposition tonight and while still able to put a quality line on the field, and producing some hard to stop play they were not at their some dangerous tonight. They will be stronger the next time we see them.
Spinner has the numbers better however after a turnover, regain and goal in the first point the Bugs continued strongly and went 3-0? and then 5-2. This continued into half with 8 to 4/5? score line.
A hall mark of the first half was the Bug defense starting ok and generating a couple of turns, and then being worked out and overcome by the Gold Coast. Offense was scoring pretty smoothly for both teams for a little while.
The all white Bugs started the second half on D and worked out how to get blocks though a mix of defenses. In the second half the Buggers scored 7 goals to 3/4 with the final score 15 to 8 Bugs.
A massive feature of this game was that the Bugs didn't turn the frisbee over very much. The count might have even been under half a dozen. I can think of 5. Once the deep threat had been established cutting options became more available.
On the back of 14 big deep pulls that all landed in the field defensive pressure was built up and a few short field goals were the result.
Its a complicated task to get a bunch of players to all work together on the playing the game in a collected and coordinated manner. Tonight we made enough good decisions, worked hard enough with our bodies and minds and all found the right mix of energy, desperation and fun.
The Big Bug tonight was a fine thing to be a part of.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Consistency
After completing 3 games from the 5 game round there is one thing that is quite clear. All the teams we have seen so far, including ourselves have struggled with consistency.
At times in all our games so far the Heroes, the Bandidos and the Cobras have all produced good enough frisbee to score points, get blokes and really win their games against us. This issue for those teams has been that they haven't been able to consistently play their best ultimate.
This is an issue that has challenged the Buggers for the past 2 seasons. Tonight we played our most consistent and well rounded game in a fair while. That being said we only managed 3/4 of a game worth of peak ultimate.
The score line was fairly one sided during the first half with a number of short field goals being scored and some pretty safe offense from the Bugs. Mid way through the second half though with the game slipping away mistakes crept in and the Cobra boys capitalised. The final score tonight was 15 to 10 Bugs. A heavier win was an option however it is a real weapon to be able to focus and follow a plan for a whole game. This is a weapon that the Buggers and the 3 teams we have played so far all need to continue to develop.
The next 2 rounds will be very interesting as we will find out who can put together enough of a consistent performance to come out on top as we play the Slamtown and Dojo teams in weeks 4 and 5.
The Bugs know what is required now, we are looking forward to the challenge.
At times in all our games so far the Heroes, the Bandidos and the Cobras have all produced good enough frisbee to score points, get blokes and really win their games against us. This issue for those teams has been that they haven't been able to consistently play their best ultimate.
This is an issue that has challenged the Buggers for the past 2 seasons. Tonight we played our most consistent and well rounded game in a fair while. That being said we only managed 3/4 of a game worth of peak ultimate.
The score line was fairly one sided during the first half with a number of short field goals being scored and some pretty safe offense from the Bugs. Mid way through the second half though with the game slipping away mistakes crept in and the Cobra boys capitalised. The final score tonight was 15 to 10 Bugs. A heavier win was an option however it is a real weapon to be able to focus and follow a plan for a whole game. This is a weapon that the Buggers and the 3 teams we have played so far all need to continue to develop.
The next 2 rounds will be very interesting as we will find out who can put together enough of a consistent performance to come out on top as we play the Slamtown and Dojo teams in weeks 4 and 5.
The Bugs know what is required now, we are looking forward to the challenge.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Playing underwater is no problem for the Bugs
Round 1, season 1, BPL 2011.
The Buggers started of the season as the first team to face a potentially dangerous Heroes team.
In challenging conditions the momentum just shifted enough in the direction of the Buggers for the weather and early season connection building issues to favour the Bug. With a mix of defenses and valuable contributions from the whole team the final score stretched out to 15 to 6 MBB.
The weapons are there for the Heroes and a faster passed running game may have suited their receiver heavy line and shown a tighter score board result. In moments of quality play the Heroes looked fast and confident with less of the skill errors present in previous seasons. The return of Jamie and Bevan to the team line up will add further down field match-up headaches for the teams who play them in future weeks.
After some months off the first game of this season is really a test of how quickly each team can recapture their synergy and team dynamic. The lack of change in the Buggers roster seemed to help this process as a variety of options worked well with little prior discussion.
A good win with some positive development from the Bugs. Feelings are high and there will be plenty of enthusiasm heading into next week's match up with the new and I'm sure rapidly improving Los Bandidos.
It must be said that the last few points of the universe point Dojo Slamtown game were played in incredible conditions with both the weather and the D lines throwing everything at throwers and cutters.
These look 2 strong teams with significant drive and motivation. I think the bench mark has been set and the other teams in the competition will need to find their best when they face the defending premiers and the fired up southern flatballers.
The BPL is back and should be as exciting as ever.
The Buggers started of the season as the first team to face a potentially dangerous Heroes team.
In challenging conditions the momentum just shifted enough in the direction of the Buggers for the weather and early season connection building issues to favour the Bug. With a mix of defenses and valuable contributions from the whole team the final score stretched out to 15 to 6 MBB.
The weapons are there for the Heroes and a faster passed running game may have suited their receiver heavy line and shown a tighter score board result. In moments of quality play the Heroes looked fast and confident with less of the skill errors present in previous seasons. The return of Jamie and Bevan to the team line up will add further down field match-up headaches for the teams who play them in future weeks.
After some months off the first game of this season is really a test of how quickly each team can recapture their synergy and team dynamic. The lack of change in the Buggers roster seemed to help this process as a variety of options worked well with little prior discussion.
A good win with some positive development from the Bugs. Feelings are high and there will be plenty of enthusiasm heading into next week's match up with the new and I'm sure rapidly improving Los Bandidos.
It must be said that the last few points of the universe point Dojo Slamtown game were played in incredible conditions with both the weather and the D lines throwing everything at throwers and cutters.
These look 2 strong teams with significant drive and motivation. I think the bench mark has been set and the other teams in the competition will need to find their best when they face the defending premiers and the fired up southern flatballers.
The BPL is back and should be as exciting as ever.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Season 1 2011 team list
The Moreton Bay Buggers are proud to announce the season 1 2011 BPL team.
This team has a total of 66 seasons combined experience with a big Bug on the chest, with a large number of players having played consecutive seasons together. Bugger history hasn't suggested that collective experience is essential for a team to be successful however it feels like this group of players know each other well and should be able to use that as an advantage.
After opening selection for the team to the broader community this season little actual change has occurred on the playing list. There are certainly a range of reasons for this, some of which I'm sure are outside our understanding. Whatever the reasons a familiarly Buggery team will take the field this year in the Red and White.
As an aside it does seem important that BPL teams continue to search for pathways for new players to join the competition from other leagues. The responsibility for developing new talent in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast lies in part with the BPL clubs.
Exciting changes for this season are:
- Special G moving out of his Vice Captaincy role with the team and into the League Director role. This now makes 4 of the 6 total league directors Moreton Bay Buggers men. I'm sure that can be looked at in a couple of ways.
- Stu Austin taking the VC job for club. The Vice Captain for the Buggers has a large involvement in running the team and the title is just reward for Stu's regular effort in this area.
- The stalwart big man of UQ Ultimate Rob Lowe has joined the team for the season. Rob is blowing up this year with his first nationals campaign on the Ignition team. Expect Rob to produce one of his best ever BPL seasons as he trains with the Firestorm club and competes regularly with Ignition.
- After some time out in the world causing his own special blend of chaos the Buggers are happy and exciting to reintroduce one Spinner Sheppard back into the BPL. Who knows how many gold teeth he'll have now. Spinner will bring both his own athletic attributes, and his ability to bring the best out of Manuel through his consistent critical analysis. Keep running Manuel.
- We have one potential weapon up our sleeve however that one is still on the quiet.
After a year hitting the semi final ceiling the Buggers will be determined to challenge every round and build towards what we are sure will be another excellent Brisbane Premier League.
| #13 Stuart Austin (VC) |
| #88 Buzz Burwell |
| #24 Tim Ferguson |
| #69 Oscar Hernandez |
| #13 Tim Johnson |
| #5 Rob Lowe |
| #12 Trevor Lovering |
| #1 Michael Neild (C) |
| #20 Graham Prickett |
| #77 Manuel Ramirez |
| #50 Anthony Ross |
| #63 Spinner Sheppard |
| #15 Simon Statham |
This team has a total of 66 seasons combined experience with a big Bug on the chest, with a large number of players having played consecutive seasons together. Bugger history hasn't suggested that collective experience is essential for a team to be successful however it feels like this group of players know each other well and should be able to use that as an advantage.
After opening selection for the team to the broader community this season little actual change has occurred on the playing list. There are certainly a range of reasons for this, some of which I'm sure are outside our understanding. Whatever the reasons a familiarly Buggery team will take the field this year in the Red and White.
As an aside it does seem important that BPL teams continue to search for pathways for new players to join the competition from other leagues. The responsibility for developing new talent in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast lies in part with the BPL clubs.
Exciting changes for this season are:
- Special G moving out of his Vice Captaincy role with the team and into the League Director role. This now makes 4 of the 6 total league directors Moreton Bay Buggers men. I'm sure that can be looked at in a couple of ways.
- Stu Austin taking the VC job for club. The Vice Captain for the Buggers has a large involvement in running the team and the title is just reward for Stu's regular effort in this area.
- The stalwart big man of UQ Ultimate Rob Lowe has joined the team for the season. Rob is blowing up this year with his first nationals campaign on the Ignition team. Expect Rob to produce one of his best ever BPL seasons as he trains with the Firestorm club and competes regularly with Ignition.
- After some time out in the world causing his own special blend of chaos the Buggers are happy and exciting to reintroduce one Spinner Sheppard back into the BPL. Who knows how many gold teeth he'll have now. Spinner will bring both his own athletic attributes, and his ability to bring the best out of Manuel through his consistent critical analysis. Keep running Manuel.
- We have one potential weapon up our sleeve however that one is still on the quiet.
After a year hitting the semi final ceiling the Buggers will be determined to challenge every round and build towards what we are sure will be another excellent Brisbane Premier League.
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Come get a Bug up ya: The season 1 MBB team is open for selection
Well its that time of year again when the Brisbane Premier League teams start gearing up for another tilt at this country's most historic and competitive weekly league.
If you are a frisbee player in Brisbane and interested in the BPL then you should read on and consider this opportunity.
One of the great things about our competition is the balance between history and tradition, and development and progress. We have clubs with uniforms, styles of play, regular rivalries and familiar faces, and we also trial experimental rules, purchase new equipment, regularly debate and modify policies and systems and welcome new teams and ideas.
In 2011 the Buggers are going to try something new with our team building process. Traditionally, like most teams in the league, MBB team lists have been constructed from a group blokes with a shared history and new players have been invited to join the teams when there has been a position available for that season.
This year we are going to open selection for the season 1 Moreton Bay Buggers team to all interested Frisbee players who want to play in the BPL.
If you are new to the competition and are looking for a team, if you have been playing for a while and like the idea of some variety, if you are an old school Bug who has been playing abroad or if you just think you might look ok with a stylised image of a bottom feeding crustacean on your shirt then nominate yourself for selection on the Moreton Bay Buggers.
To be clear this isn't a plan to build some kind of super team or disrupt existing team harmony. More an initiative to freshen up some team lists and to provide an opportunity for any keen rookies or those new in town.
Here is how it will work. If you want to be considered for selection on this season's team then send Mike an email at big_bad_sasquatch@hotmail.com
We'll be accepting nominations for a week or so and we'll let players know quickly so that everyone has time to get onto a team in time for the league start in February.
As always best of luck to all the teams as they finalise their playing rosters and prepare for the season. I'm sure we are all on the cusp of another exciting Brisbane Premier League. The Buggers will see you out there soon.
If you are a frisbee player in Brisbane and interested in the BPL then you should read on and consider this opportunity.
One of the great things about our competition is the balance between history and tradition, and development and progress. We have clubs with uniforms, styles of play, regular rivalries and familiar faces, and we also trial experimental rules, purchase new equipment, regularly debate and modify policies and systems and welcome new teams and ideas.
In 2011 the Buggers are going to try something new with our team building process. Traditionally, like most teams in the league, MBB team lists have been constructed from a group blokes with a shared history and new players have been invited to join the teams when there has been a position available for that season.
This year we are going to open selection for the season 1 Moreton Bay Buggers team to all interested Frisbee players who want to play in the BPL.
If you are new to the competition and are looking for a team, if you have been playing for a while and like the idea of some variety, if you are an old school Bug who has been playing abroad or if you just think you might look ok with a stylised image of a bottom feeding crustacean on your shirt then nominate yourself for selection on the Moreton Bay Buggers.
To be clear this isn't a plan to build some kind of super team or disrupt existing team harmony. More an initiative to freshen up some team lists and to provide an opportunity for any keen rookies or those new in town.
Here is how it will work. If you want to be considered for selection on this season's team then send Mike an email at big_bad_sasquatch@hotmail.com
We'll be accepting nominations for a week or so and we'll let players know quickly so that everyone has time to get onto a team in time for the league start in February.
As always best of luck to all the teams as they finalise their playing rosters and prepare for the season. I'm sure we are all on the cusp of another exciting Brisbane Premier League. The Buggers will see you out there soon.
Friday, 3 December 2010
The Moreton Bay Buggers in 2010
2010 has been a challenging year for the Moreton Bay Buggers.
The only year since our first back in 2006 when we entered one rather than two teams into the league. The only year in our involvement that we didn't participate in the final game of the season. The sole year when only a single rookie made the step up into the BPL in Buggers colours.
Not a great year when contrasted against previous Bug highlights, however not a bad year to be involved with the team. There have been some excellent aspects of 2010 for the Buggers.
Many players moved on from the Buggers this year into exciting roles with other teams or further life adventures.
Some classic Bugs from seasons gone by returned to the team to create some more memories.
The newer players within the team have shown some excellent improvement and development through the seasons.
Finally the challenge of competing in two of the most intense and balanced seasons in the league history has been a top notch bastard of a struggle.
We didn't end up on top of the heap this year, however straining together as a group to capture our best was well worth the effort.
The Bugs are impressed with the performance of both UQ and the Dojo for climbing to the top of the competition, well earned by both teams. Congratulations to the Dojo boys, Jody Thomas and the Slamtown Flatball Club for their victories in the relevant categories.
Additionally a salute to the outgoing BPL Director, Stu Austin. I've been involved with most of the league directors as a team captain and Stu can stand proud in such fine company as Jon, Andy, Stew and Jason before him. Well done Stu, you were good and I think you'll be missed.
A year of change and development for the Moreton Bay Buggers. A year to learn the lessons from and then file away. We will be back next year, and we will be proud to be part of the most culturally rich, and one of the most competitive regular leagues this country has to offer.
Enjoy the break all you BPL battlers, keep an eye out for the Bugs in Autumn 2011.
Up the Buggers.
The only year since our first back in 2006 when we entered one rather than two teams into the league. The only year in our involvement that we didn't participate in the final game of the season. The sole year when only a single rookie made the step up into the BPL in Buggers colours.
Not a great year when contrasted against previous Bug highlights, however not a bad year to be involved with the team. There have been some excellent aspects of 2010 for the Buggers.
Many players moved on from the Buggers this year into exciting roles with other teams or further life adventures.
Some classic Bugs from seasons gone by returned to the team to create some more memories.
The newer players within the team have shown some excellent improvement and development through the seasons.
Finally the challenge of competing in two of the most intense and balanced seasons in the league history has been a top notch bastard of a struggle.
We didn't end up on top of the heap this year, however straining together as a group to capture our best was well worth the effort.
The Bugs are impressed with the performance of both UQ and the Dojo for climbing to the top of the competition, well earned by both teams. Congratulations to the Dojo boys, Jody Thomas and the Slamtown Flatball Club for their victories in the relevant categories.
Additionally a salute to the outgoing BPL Director, Stu Austin. I've been involved with most of the league directors as a team captain and Stu can stand proud in such fine company as Jon, Andy, Stew and Jason before him. Well done Stu, you were good and I think you'll be missed.
A year of change and development for the Moreton Bay Buggers. A year to learn the lessons from and then file away. We will be back next year, and we will be proud to be part of the most culturally rich, and one of the most competitive regular leagues this country has to offer.
Enjoy the break all you BPL battlers, keep an eye out for the Bugs in Autumn 2011.
Up the Buggers.
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