GFL 2001 Season Review

PREMIERS	RUNNERS UP
Kryal Kingfishers	Westar Wizards


Brentford Bees	Golden Grove Goannas	Groovy West Greyhounds	Kryal Kingfishers	Youngtown Racquets
Robert Thomas	Steven Dennis	Johnny Courcha	David Berry	Ian Young
Dandenong, Vic	Golden Grove, SA	Maddington, WA	Ballarat, Vic	Mt Martha, Vic

Piston Broke Tigers	Tennessee Titans	EIB Warriors	Waverley Wheelers	Westar Wizards
Glen Garard	Sean Chapman	Mark Taylor	Kevin Gan	Geoff McInerney
Sydney, NSW	Nashville, TN, USA	Knoxville, TN, USA	Waverley, Vic	East Perth, WA

A short selection of the main contributors from each team to highlight the team strengths:
Brentford Bees: M.Richardson, Tarrant, M.Lappin, Lucas, Yze, Mensch, Moorcroft, McLeod, Welsh
Golden Grove Goannas: S.Rocca, Neitz, McKernan, B.Harvey, B.Johnson, Power, J.Longmuir, Callaghan
Groovy West Greyhounds: Cummings, C.Grant, Hudson, A.Rocca, Loewe, Bruce, Rioli
Kryal Kingfishers: Bradshaw, C.Cornes, Robertson, C-Collins, Bizzell, L.Davis, Tredrea, Everritt, Milne, Cupido
Youngtown Racquets: Modra, Whitnall, Ph.Matera, M.O'Loughlin, Caracella, M.White, Bowden
Piston Broke Tigers: Hird, Koutoufides, M.Voss, Buckley, B.Graham, Alessio, R.Smith
Tennessee Titans: Jarman, Barker, Farmer, Hammil, Burton, Pavlich, Pickett, B.Hall, K.Hunter, N.Brown
EIB Warriors: Carey, Ottens, Waterhouse, N.Holland, Rogers, Wanganeen, Croad, J.Johnson, J.Brown, Akermanis
Waverley Wheelers: Lloyd, Molloy, Lord, R.Burns, Green, Schwarz, Merenda, N.Thompson, Ball, Camporeale
Westar Wizards: A.Lynch, Fevola, Dixon, T.Wilson, K.Kingsley, D.King, Dew, Perrie, Br.Holland, Burgoyne, R.Houlihan

ROUND 1 - March 30
Golden Grove Goannas 8.5.53 v Waverley Wheelers 20.6.126 - Goanna Park
Kryal Kingfishers 16.7.103 v Tennessee Titans 8.7.55 - Kookaburra Reserve
Groovy West Greyhounds 9.3.57 v Brentford Bees 17.9.111 - Doodie Stadium
Piston Broke Tigers 4.9.33 v EIB Warriors 11.13.79 - Winners Bar Park
Westar Wizards 12.2.74 v Youngtown Racquets 7.6.48 - Swan River

ROUND 2 - April 6
Kryal Kingfishers 16.9.105 v Groovy West Greyhounds 11.8.74 - Kookaburra Reserve
Waverley Wheelers 15.10.100 v Brentford Bees 13.14.92 - Linkin Park
Youngtown Racquets 7.6.48 v Tennessee Titans 18.6.114 - The Tennis Club
EIB Warriors 2.5.17 v Westar Wizards 14.8.92 - Limbaugh Stadium
Piston Broke Tigers 10.7.67 v Golden Grove Goannas 9.6.60 - Winners Bar Park

ROUND 3 - April 12
Brentford Bees 14.11.95 v Piston Broke Tigers 3.0.18 - Griffin Park
Tennessee Titans 12.17.89 v EIB Warriors 15.12.102 - Nashville Colosseum
Golden Grove Goannas 9.8.62 v Groovy West Greyhounds 7.4.46 - Goanna Park
Westar Wizards 20.9.129 v Kryal Kingfishers 10.6.66 - Swan River
Waverley Wheelers 18.12.120 v Youngtown Racquets 12.7.79 - Linkin Park

ROUND 4 - April 20
Groovy West Greyhounds 16.5.101 v Youngtown Racquets 11.10.76 - Doodie Stadium
Golden Grove Goannas 8.12.60 v Westar Wizards 16.12.108 - Goanna Park
Tennessee Titans 6.8.44 v Piston Broke Tigers 8.6.54 - Nashville Colosseum
Kryal Kingfishers 3.8.26 v Waverley Wheelers 6.9.45 - Kookaburra Reserve
EIB Warriors 7.9.51 v Brentford Bees 7.7.49 - Limbaugh Stadium

ROUND 5 - April 25
Golden Grove Goannas 15.13.103 v Brentford Bees 17.8.110 - Goanna Park
Youngtown Racquets 7.6.48 v Piston Broke Tigers 10.10.70 - The Tennis Club
EIB Warriors 14.3.87 v Kryal Kingfishers 19.6.120 - Limbaugh Stadium
Tennessee Titans 19.2.116 v Groovy West Greyhounds 6.3.39 - Nashville Colosseum
Waverley Wheelers 8.9.57 v Westar Wizards 18.8.116 - Linkin Park

ROUND 6 - May 4
Waverley Wheelers 21.9.135 v EIB Warriors 17.4.106 - Linkin Park
Piston Broke Tigers 8.4.52 v Groovy West Greyhounds 11.3.69 - Winners Bar Park
Kryal Kingfishers 11.6.72 v Golden Grove Goannas 11.7.73 - Kookaburra Reserve
Brentford Bees 14.5.89 v Youngtown Racquets 13.7.85 - Griffin Park
Westar Wizards 18.12.120 v Tennessee Titans 12.15.87 - Swan River

ROUND 7 - May 11
Groovy West Greyhounds 10.5.65 v Westar Wizards 12.13.85 - Doodie Stadium
Youngtown Racquets 14.11.95 v EIB Warriors 15.14.104 - The Tennis Club
Brentford Bees 16.10.106 v Kryal Kingfishers 8.9.57 - Griffin Park
Golden Grove Goannas 11.8.74 v Tennessee Titans 12.7.79 - Goanna Park
Piston Broke Tigers 4.12.36 v Waverley Wheelers 7.9.51 - Winners Bar Park

ROUND 8 - May 18
Groovy West Greyhounds 16.10.106 v Waverley Wheelers 13.9.87 - Doodie Stadium
Youngtown Racquets 10.7.67 v Kryal Kingfishers 8.13.61 - The Tennis Club
Westar Wizards 15.10.100 v Piston Broke Tigers 10.3.63 - Swan River
Tennessee Titans 6.4.40 v Brentford Bees 17.7.109 - Nashville Colosseum
EIB Warriors 10.8.68 v Golden Grove Goannas 18.11.119 - Limbaugh Stadium

ROUND 9 - May 25
Golden Grove Goannas 9.9.63 v Youngtown Racquets 3.8.26 - Goanna Park
Kryal Kingfishers 14.7.91 v Piston Broke Tigers 4.5.29 - Kookaburra Reserve
Brentford Bees 7.11.53 v Westar Wizards 12.10.82 - Griffin Park
Waverley Wheelers 14.5.89 v Tennessee Titans 12.7.79 - Linkin Park
EIB Warriors 13.11.89 v Groovy West Greyhounds 15.9.99 - Limbaugh Stadium

ROUND 10 - June 1
EIB Warriors 14.7.91 v Piston Broke Tigers 5.12.42 - Limbaugh Stadium
Brentford Bees 7.7.49 v Groovy West Greyhounds 10.4.64 - Griffin Park
Youngtown Racquets 5.6.36 v Westar Wizards 15.12.102 - The Tennis Club
Waverley Wheelers 11.7.73 v Golden Grove Goannas 19.10.124 - Linkin Park
Tennessee Titans 10.5.65 v Kryal Kingfishers 11.10.76 - Nashville Colosseum

ROUND 11 - June 8
Golden Grove Goannas 11.7.73 v Piston Broke Tigers 9.5.59 - Goanna Park
Brentford Bees 10.11.71 v Waverley Wheelers 17.12.114 - Griffin Park
Tennessee Titans 13.7.85 v Youngtown Racquets 11.7.73 - Nashville Colosseum
Groovy West Greyhounds 19.9.123 v Kryal Kingfishers 12.13.85 - Doodie Stadium
Westar Wizards 7.12.54 v EIB Warriors 10.6.66 - Swan River

ROUND 12 - June 15
Kryal Kingfishers 13.9.87 v Westar Wizards 16.5.101 - Kookaburra Reserve
Youngtown Racquets 10.9.69 v Waverley Wheelers 15.7.97 - The Tennis Club
EIB Warriors 9.10.64 v Tennessee Titans 11.5.71 - Limbaugh Stadium
Piston Broke Tigers 10.8.68 v Brentford Bees 12.4.76 - Winners Bar Park
Groovy West Greyhounds 13.6.84 v Golden Grove Goannas 14.7.91 - Doodie Stadium
[SPLIT Round over 2 weekends]

ROUND 13 - June 29
Waverley Wheelers 14.5.89 v Kryal Kingfishers 19.8.122 - Linkin Park
Brentford Bees 8.5.53 v EIB Warriors 7.7.49 - Griffin Park
Youngtown Racquets 18.8.116 v Groovy West Greyhounds 13.10.88 - The Tennis Club
Piston Broke Tigers 6.3.39 v Tennessee Titans 13.6.84 - Winners Bar Park
Westar Wizards 11.5.71 v Golden Grove Goannas 12.4.76 - Swan River

ROUND 14 - July 6
Tie: Westar Wizards 15.4.94 v Waverley Wheelers 14.10.94 - Swan River
Kryal Kingfishers 17.9.111 v EIB Warriors 17.3.105 - Kookaburra Reserve
Piston Broke Tigers 8.2.50 v Youngtown Racquets 11.7.73 - Winners Bar Park
Brentford Bees 12.11.83 v Golden Grove Goannas 11.6.72 - Griffin Park
Groovy West Greyhounds 10.5.65 v Tennessee Titans 15.9.99 - Doodie Stadium

ROUND 15 - July 13
Golden Grove Goannas 11.4.70 v Kryal Kingfishers 15.9.99 - Goanna Park
Tennessee Titans 22.11.143 v Westar Wizards 22.10.142 - Nashville Colosseum
EIB Warriors 13.5.83 v Waverley Wheelers 16.12.108 - Limbaugh Stadium
Youngtown Racquets 14.11.95 v Brentford Bees 8.8.56 - The Tennis Club
Groovy West Greyhounds 9.14.68 v Piston Broke Tigers 5.4.34 - Doodie Stadium

ROUND 16 - July 20
Kryal Kingfishers 14.7.91 v Brentford Bees 13.8.86 - Kookaburra Reserve
Waverley Wheelers 22.3.135 v Piston Broke Tigers 12.4.76 - Linkin Park
Tennessee Titans 20.10.130 v Golden Grove Goannas 15.5.95 - Nashville Colosseum
Westar Wizards 18.15.123 v Groovy West Greyhounds 12.10.82 - Swan River
EIB Warriors 12.8.80 v Youngtown Racquets 17.7.109 - Limbaugh Stadium

ROUND 17 - July 27
Golden Grove Goannas 18.6.114 v EIB Warriors 13.4.82 - Goanna Park
Kryal Kingfishers 17.6.108 v Youngtown Racquets 8.11.59 - Kookaburra Reserve
Piston Broke Tigers 6.0.36 v Westar Wizards 14.7.91 - Winners Bar Park
Brentford Bees 10.5.65 v Tennessee Titans 17.4.106 - Griffin Park
Waverley Wheelers 11.12.84 v Groovy West Greyhounds 8.4.52 - Linkin Park

ROUND 18 - August 3
Westar Wizards 10.8.68 v Brentford Bees 12.6.78 - Swan River
Tennessee Titans 9.6.60 v Waverley Wheelers 13.4.82 - Nashville Colosseum
Youngtown Racquets 12.6.78 v Golden Grove Goannas 14.8.92 - The Tennis Club
Groovy West Greyhounds 7.8.50 v EIB Warriors 10.6.66 - Doodie Stadium
Piston Broke Tigers 7.7.49 v Kryal Kingfishers 15.16.106 - Winners Bar Park

ROUND 19 - August 10
Elimination Final
Brentford Bees 10.6.66 v Tennessee Titans 16.8.104 - GFL Park
Qualifying Final
Waverley Wheelers 11.8.74 v Kryal Kingfishers 24.11.155 - GFL Park

ROUND 20 - August 17
Semi Finals
Westar Wizards 22.9.141 v Kryal Kingfishers 16.12.108 - GFL Park
Tennessee Titans 14.4.88 v Waverley Wheelers 10.7.67 - GFL Park

ROUND 21 - August 24
Preliminary Final
Tennessee Titans 9.5.59 v Kryal Kingfishers 14.11.95 - GFL Park

ROUND 22 - August 31
G R A N D F I N A L
Westar Wizards 10.11.71 v Kryal Kingfishers 21.8.134 - GFL Park

GFL#2 essentially continued over from Season 2000 although a few old hands had to leave for greener pastures while a number of other faces remained: Titans (USA), Goannas, Wheelers, Racquets, Bees and Wizards being those. A second North American team also joined ensuring not only a well balanced international league but a very competitive one at that. Other new faces included Greyhounds (from the West), Kingfishers (from Ballarat who seemed to take off where the unrelated Cougars team from 2000 left!) and Tigers (from QLD which meant more rugby expertise than AFL, but the coach was going to give it a red hot go!). But this season was the most competitive in the history of GFL on the Internet with essentially all but one team able to make the finals even two rounds before the conclusion of the minor round!! It was an amazing scenario.

From the outset the main contenders for the flag seemed to be the Kryal Kingfishers and Waverley Wheelers with perhaps the likes of Greyhounds, Wizards and Titans vyeing for a close finish. The Wheelers were able to draw first pick in the pre-season draft from which they signed Lloyd who generally through non-injury was a mainstay spearhead for the Wheelers. A couple of suspensions provided some small hiccups for the Wheelers along with a long run of injuries to Burns as a combination that effectively stopped them from winning the minor premiership. The Wheelers also maintained a policy of a settled line up, aiming to send the same eight out onto the field every single week. This was a clearly courageous effort which on some days worked and on others may have cost them the four points, but the Wheelers through sheer top heavy firepower should have arguably went on to the finish. The late season suspension to Lloyd effectively ended their season short of an expected Grand Final finish. The Kingfishers were perhaps the best looking team on paper with the ability to bat easily down to number eight and have plenty in reserve. Amazingly in spite of what turned out to be a dreadful coaches selection meeting every week, by virtue of the talent that could be included or left out, the rotation policy the team seemed to employ worked, and on most occasions they had nearly their best line up showing every week. The Kingfishers were right off the mark and were pretty sure of themselves, but when a mid season slump saw them drop right down the ladder to second bottom the alarm bells were ringing. They really needed to win every game against quite superior opposition from Round 12 to the end of the season to have a real chance of making the five - and they did, what's more luck in other games fell their way and they claimed a double chance. With one small hiccup in the final the Kingfishers went onto win the title of Premier, probably one both deserved and picked right from the start of the season.

Groovy West Greyhounds joined the Westar Wizards as representatives from the West and had on paper drafted up a very good side lead by the mercurial Scott Cummings, who had announced before the season started he was ready to repeat his 95 goal season performance from two years previous. With Grant and Hudson from the other western side it really looked like the Greyhounds were going to make a claim for a finals berth. But Cummings succumbed to injury and Grant had too many yips in front of goal to be consistently affected. Hudson was off colour for most of the season, a one-off 8 goal performance dramatically improved his tally and Stewy Loewe who showed some old signs of goalkicking early in the season fell foul to a season ending knee injury and the Greyhounds could never really get started. On the otherhand when the Wizards fell to the Titans in Round 11 it was their FIRST loss for the season, having sat on the top of the table through a complete cycle of opponents and the only team to have beaten every other team in the competition. It was a combination of good fortune at the selection table and injury to the lesser contributors mixed with stand out performances by at least one of their major stars that ensured the Wizards kept their top of the ladder posting right until the death knell of the season, when the Kingfishers took the mantle from them in the final. Like that team the Wizards found themselves in the midst of a mid season slump with some of their form players on the outer, the likes of Fevola suffering to injury. In spite of this the team still managed to win most of its clashes and became deserved, if unfortunate, runners up for 2001.

This year we also had two teams from the USA with the EIB Warriors joining the Tennessee Titans. As you would expect both teams became close rivals with each other, both supporting outside their own clashes and hoping the other would fall and make way for their own side to slip into five. The Titans, probably through experience and sheer good draft fortune (thanks largely to random computer selections!), prevailed in the war between the two neighbouring clubs. The two teams shared a close commonality between them, not least of which was physical location, but many other attributes that set them apart from the rest of the competition. Their drafting seemed to centre on tried and true talent and ultimately you could argue that misdemeanours at the team selection table cost both clubs a few rungs on the ladder. Both teams were fiercely competitive and with the right combination of skill, luck and selection tactics were clearly premiership contenders on their day. But near the end of the season there was a fateful match between the two clubs that seemed to destine which was going to be part of the business end of the season. The Titans prevailed and in the end they were also the team to contend against the other favourites to vye for the flag. It was clearly a disappointing end to a very competitive first up season for the Warriors, who were in the race almost til the end. The Titans were able to make it to the preliminary final before the eventual premiers prevailed. Both teams had some good memories to take away to prepare for season 2002.

From Queensland, the rugby state, the Piston Broke Tigers came into the league and became the eventual wooden spooners. All their wins came before round 5, so it was indeed a long season for the Tigers who struggled with the change from obvious rugby expertise to the AFL. But one of their scalps was indeed the Titans, who made the preliminary final. The Tigers transition between the two footy codes was clearly a difficult one but plenty of compliments should be given to them for at least having a go at something outside the comfort zone. The Tigers were also unlucky in a lot of respects, because the competition was so closely fought, they were at many times so close to picking up the points, but yet so far. Talent in their side included the likes of Kouta and Hird and later B.Graham who had his goalkicking shoes on. But injury to their main strikers put an end to any real competitive spirit the team might have otherwise forged. But the experience will make them better and I am sure in 2002 we will see a much more aggressive Tiger outfit.

Two teams to continue on from the 2000 season were the Golden Grove Goannas (formerly Greenwith) and Brentford Bees who seemed to share a lot of goalkicking traits from their sides. On their day the two sides were clearly frightening opponents but through inconsistent form found that perhaps their ultimate challenge was to be competitive week in week out. The other commonality they shared was a win against both the eventual Grand Finalists in the Wizards and Kingfishers - a trait no other team could boast in season 2001. In fact against the Wizards both sides had remarkably similar scorelines and opponent scoreline, summing up the theme both clubs seemed to share throughout 2001. Both sides would be pretty disappointed in where they ended up next to each other at the end of the season and ironically it was the two of them that decided fifth place on the ladder when it came finals time too! The Bees would have been happy with M.Lappin who was the highest scoring small man of 2001 and in the early stages both Yze (who had not missed kicking a goal in any game from about Round 15 2000) and Hilton threatened to contribute a good tally themselves from around the ground. But Richo was as inconsistent as ever and it has to be said that the likes of Welsh, Mensch and Lucas simply underperformed. Tarrant showed flashes of brilliance but was never as reliable as he should have been. The Goannas story was similar and although B.Johnson and C.Callaghan were both surprisingly consistent contributors there were too many non-performers and inconsistent baggage in their side. B.Harvey and Grant seemed to only kick goals when the other did not while Power and Daffy were MIA for most part of 2001. Neitz never seemed to have his goalkicking boots on and S.Rocca largely underperformed throughout the year - perhaps only McKernan could hold his head high for the lizards.

And finally what about the Youngtown Racquets who were thoroughly disappointed with their efforts this season after their first almost ultimately successful foray into GFL in 2000. While it may be said that Lloyd was probably the difference that year the Racquets still promised a lot in 2001 with what was on paper a fairly convincing competitive line up. It probably came down to their three top choices for this season who were overall perhaps the most underperforming top three of any of the top class comparative players from other clubs. Whitnall was largely MIA in front of the goalsticks, preferring to hand out the six-pointers to his team mates. Phil Matera had spurts of brilliance but still was largely an underperformer and likewise Modra, who was clearly on his last legs before announcing his retirement close to season's end. The Racquets were never able to settle into a rhythm and it took them a long time to get started with their first win not coming until Round 8 which was amazingly against the eventual premiers. They were still in the hunt well up until only a couple of rounds near the finish but they just didn't have the firepower to muster against the best and in 2002 will be looking for some major improvements.

#	Team	W	L	D	R/T	C/P	For	Agst	%	PTS
1	Kryal Kingfishers	13	9	0	2395	85.34	2078	1757	118.27	52
2	Westar Wizards	14	5	1	2356	90.87	1963	1455	134.91	58
3	Tennessee Titans	12	9	0	2487	77.69	1797	1667	107.80	48
4	Waverley Wheelers	13	6	1	2508	78.11	1820	1687	107.88	54
5	Brentford Bees	10	9	0	2291	76.89	1497	1424	105.13	40
6	Gldn Grove Goannas	10	8	0	2296	79.29	1474	1461	100.89	40
7	EIB Warriors	7	11	0	2106	76.87	1389	1543	90.02	28
8	Grvy Wst Greyhounds	7	11	0	2125	78.21	1332	1524	87.40	28
9	Y'ngtown Racquets	5	13	0	2016	76.60	1280	1554	82.37	20
10	Piston Broke Tigers	3	15	0	1464	72.37	875	1434	61.02	12