1953 PRESEASON 

Worn on the national stage in a match against Ulbrich, calls bombarded the Gorania Football League headquarters in Chavez to pressure the Bears to change their clash. Commissioner George Nakamura stated it was up to the board of the Xiong Football Club to decide. After a board vote, in which a majority voted to ask for a change, it was announced by the Xiong Football Club. The crossed sashes were replaced with middle gold and black stripes, accompanied with the XFC monogram in white. A white number panel was added to provide ample contrast. Response to the new jumper was generally positive, with fans describing it as a sleek look while referencing the club's heritage at the same time.

[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddbw0rh-b14e5cc6-9cba-4c21-a866-322ea3512ed9.png/v1/fill/w_862,h_927,strp/xiong_bears_1953_away_jumper_by_tgartworks_ddbw0rh-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTMxNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRidzByaC1iMTRlNWNjNi05Y2JhLTRjMjEtYTg2Ni0zMjJlYTM1MTJlZDkucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyMjYifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.P1H5A6m_y6SNF-QhTm_OIWdY4dgTYY9RCsMvoStG2bU[/img]
Only one major player transfer happened: Quinton Paulsen transferred from Day to Ruddy, hoping to boost the Longhorns' reputation. Paulsen being a Ruddy native was reportedly excited to be playing top-flight football in his hometown. 

In addition, the first player of indigenous Goranian descent was selected to be on a playing list with Ibrahim Salaam recruited to play for Grimm, who is also of Zanzibari descent as well. Recruiters were impressed with his speed, which hope to utilise his pace in defence. 

Chavez premiership player John Billen has retired from professional football. After seven seasons for Chavez, at the age of 32, he decided to hang up his boots. John McMahon, their star full-back and often regarded as their best player, has decided to retire, citing his age, in what he has described to be in the best interest of the team. McMahon was immediately recruited to the Chavez Football Club board.

Last edited by Goran The Man (7/18/2019 10:53 am)

Dang, I also really liked the X, this new one is good as well though

1953 SEASON
Leading Goalscorer: Hyun Ki-Chang (Grimm) - 86 goals
League MVP: Mitchell Yamada (Grimm) 

For the first time in history, the same teams from the previous season made finals. And the spots were all decided with two rounds to spare. 

Grimm, helped by the superstar duo of Hyun and Yamada, secured their third consecutive minor premiership and fourth consecutive season with the double chance. The Reapers were the last team to lose a match (in round 4 against Day) and constantly hovered in the top three. A four game winning streak to end the season propelled the Reapers in first spot due to their superior percentage. Hyun achieved the leading goalscorer award for the fourth consecutive year. And even when Hyun wasn't at his best, the other forwards, most notably Jimmy Wagner, picked up the slack. 

Despite a rocky start, Xiong played really good football, and Stuart Arlington had another stellar season in defence. Whilst the Bears dropped their first two games and three of their first five, they never looked back, and by the penultimate round, they were sitting pretty in top spot. Unfortunately for them, inaccuracy in their last match meant they were consigned to second. 

Angerer had a bit of a topsy-turvy start, with inconsistent form to start the season. Suddenly the Bulls hit their stride, winning six consecutive games. Despite this, due to injuries from star midfielders Samuel Wheaton and Lawrence Rogers, Angerer fell towards the business end of the season, only winning two of their last six games to fall to third. Despite Morten Hansen missing games from injury, Angelo Marino picked up the slack, managing a superb season for the Bulls, scoring 69 goals. 

Ulbrich continued to play fine football as the fledgling club managed a second finals appearance in three seasons. Hamish Hamilton played finely, and he stood up when the Pilots needed him the most. Most of the season, the Pilots were hovering outside the top four, before a late run of strong form propelled them into fourth position. Ulbrich managed to win six of their last seven matches to end up 12-9, with many players such as Paul Christodoulou fulfilling their potential in that timespan. 

Day had a promising start, managing six wins from their first nine matches. Despite Wally Trow's strong midfield prowess, the weakness of the Day forward line meant points were hard to come by, with the Knights scoring the second least amount of points for the season. As the season progressed, the Knights' heavy reliance on Matej Vidmar meant more teams found them out, and only managed two more wins in their last twelve matches as they fell out of the top four. 

Losing Billen and McMahon, despite their talent, resulted in an indifferent season for Chavez compared to their previous two campaigns. New captain Shigeru Ueda filled up the void in leadership, as he inspired the Nationals to many important victories. It was clear that the talent in most of the team were weaker than the finals contenders, as the Nationals constantly hovered around the bottom of the ladder, only winning consecutive games on one occasion. 

Ruddy, whilst off the pace of the teams in finals contention, improved enough to avoid the bottom for the first time. The Longhorns struggled in defence, as they conceded more points than any other team. On the plus side, forward Hugh Burton managed a haul of 73 goals, including a haul of 10 against Angerer in round 16. The Longhorns managed to sweep the Bulls, as they were on the cusp of an inaugural finals appearance heading into the last four weeks, before falling in their last four matches en route to an 8-13 record. 

1953 was a year to forget for Richburg. The Bulldogs managed the wooden spoon, and had the worst offence in the league, despite having the third best defence in points against. Peter Cohen's age showed as he was unable to produce his totals in his prime, only scoring 46 goals for the Bulldogs. Despite winning four consecutive matches early in the season, it was as good as it got for Richburg as they followed it up with nine consecutive losses. They managed a respectable conclusion with three wins from their final five, but it was not enough to suffer the ignominy of the wooden spoon.
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddbz2w8-2919d03c-37f1-45f6-8d4d-d3500dd08258.png/v1/fill/w_913,h_875,strp/1953_ladder_by_tgartworks_ddbz2w8-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTIyNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRiejJ3OC0yOTE5ZDAzYy0zN2YxLTQ1ZjYtOGQ0ZC1kMzUwMGRkMDgyNTgucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.m-Z7BNa8pgfja0HSkfvCKVxeFRckShcBz-8LvoKXTVc[/img] Major Events

• Teams that had the extra home game scheduled played a match in a city that lacked a GFL team. Grimm played Ruddy in Blalock (round 4), Day played Angerer in Washington (round 20), Ulbrich played Xiong in Spragan (round 7) and Chavez played Richburg in Goddard (round 18). All these matches were well attended.
• The match between Ulbrich and Xiong in Spragan, had all goals scored in the one end, impacted by a strong northerly wind. The Bears won 7.16 (58) to 5.12 (42).
• After Xiong scored six consecutive behinds in their round 21 match against Ulbrich, with Ulbrich down by four points, Paul Christodoulou marked 40 metres from goal. He took a shot after the siren and converted to win for the Pilots. As a result, Grimm finished on top, with Xiong consigned to second.

Last edited by Goran The Man (7/19/2019 4:17 am)

1953 FINALS MATCHES/POSTSEASON

1ST SEMI FINAL
ANGERER VS. ULBRICH
AT PRASAD PARK
12 SEPTEMBER 1953 - 2:10PM 

Already a fierce rivalry, there was another battle in the north of Gorania. The Bulls and Pilots took on each other to determine who was the strongest in Gorania's north. Prasad Park sold out very easily, and many Ulbrich fans took the short trip south to follow their team. Given the short distance, there was a visible minority of fans decked in red, white and black. Whilst Angerer hosted the match, many predicted Ulbrich to win on the road due to their strong recent form. 

Playing with the higher elevation, in which the Bulls were expected to have an advantage, Angerer started strongly, scoring the first goal. Unfortunately for them, they were inaccurate in front of goal, preventing them from doing significant damage on the scoreboard. Ulbrich suddenly attacked and punished the Bulls' missed opportunities, as the Pilots scored five consecutive goals to take a 21 point lead late in the quarter. Whilst Morten Hansen added a late goal, the Bulls were 15 points in arrears heading into the first break. 
QT - Angerer 2.6 (18), Ulbrich 5.3 (33) 

The late goal from the previous quarter from the Bulls carried the momentum their way. The green and whites were taking their opportunities with more fluency, and suddenly found themselves within less than a goal early in the quarter. Whilst the Pilots temporarily steadied by responding with two goals of their own, the Bulls kept charging, and ultimately took the lead before the conclusion of the quarter. A late free kick to Paul Christodoulou allowed the Pilots to take a shot after the siren but the shot fell short, with Angerer ahead by two. 
HT - Angerer 7.8 (50), Ulbrich 7.6 (48) 

Ulbrich coach Johan Hoffmann fired his players up at the half-time break, and it worked with immediate effect as the Pilots dominated the quarter with seven goals to one. New recruit Colin Ballagh scored three goals for the quarter. Hamish Hamilton's strong play in the midfield ensured that multiple opportunities came to the Ulbrich forwards, as they steered away to a match-winning 34 point lead at the final change. 
3QT - Angerer 8.9 (57), Ulbrich 14.7 (91) 

Ulbrich's large lead meant they were pretty much assured of a spot in the preliminary final the following fortnight. In fact, the Pilots continued to pile on the damage as Paul Christodoulou drew first blood of the quarter, scoring a goal to extend the margin to 40. Ulbrich continued to dominate as the margin ballooned further to 54 points. Afterwards, the Pilots took it easy and allowed the Bulls to score three late consolation goals to reduce the margin to what it was at the final change. 
FT - Angerer 11.11 (77), Ulbrich 17.9 (111)
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddcc47i-73a6e968-e1ab-47fc-9bce-35c126b483c5.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1953_1sf_by_tgartworks_ddcc47i-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRjYzQ3aS03M2E2ZTk2OC1lMWFiLTQ3ZmMtOWJjZS0zNWMxMjZiNDgzYzUucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.JvUFrm4xs_-ZQQKEBr-jOQldafeP152SJ5VJHG29D8I[/img]  
2ND SEMI FINAL
GRIMM VS. XIONG
AT TATFELD OVAL
19 SEPTEMBER 1953 - 2:10PM 

It was the Reapers' mission to strive for a three-peat, while Xiong knew it was an important game to win if they were a chance to win the grand final the following fortnight. Tatfeld Oval was sold out yet again, with the crowd basically a sea of red and white. Fans were excited to see the matchup of Stuart Arlington on Jimmy Wagner and Johnny Esposito on Hyun Ki-Chang. 

Grimm got off to the best possible start as Hyun Ki-Chang marked the ball from an early clearance. He converted from 45 metres (49 yards) straight in front to draw first blood. Xiong immediately replied from Quinton Green, but Grimm immediately answered back. Then Xiong started to dominate the passage of play, however wasted a plethora of opportunities, along with Grimm scoring one on the counter-attack. Despite Xiong having the lion's share of the possession, they were behind by one point at quarter time. 
QT - Grimm 3.3 (21), Xiong 2.8 (20) 

Grimm began to punish Xiong after their missed opportunities at the end of the previous quarter as the Reapers began to dominate play. Defender Ibrahim Salaam scored his first career goal with a long run from half-back to half forward, as he eventually kicked it through the big sticks to extend the lead to seven. The Reapers added three more before the Bears added their first for the quarter. Hyun started to dominate up the ground as he managed two goals for the quarter as well as collecting a lot of possessions. The problems were all with Xiong as the Bears found themselves 31 points down at half time. 
HT - Grimm 9.9 (63), Xiong 4.8 (32) 

Xiong scored first through a long goal from the unlikeliest goalkicker in Daniel Knudsson, though the Reapers answered with two of their own. The rest of the quarter had each team add another goal to their total as the Reapers led by 37 at the final change. 
3QT - Grimm 12.11 (83), Xiong 6.10 (46) 

Down by 37 entering the final quarter, the Bears were in desperate need for a few quick goals. Unfortunately for them, Hyun Ki-Chang converted for his fourth goal, as the Reapers looked assured to win. Despite this, a strong tap from Darko Bukovac to Phillip Barker allowed Xiong to move forward and subsequently score a goal. Billy Roberts fell in the next ruck contest and from then on, Bukovac dominated him as the Bears consistently moved the ball forward. What was 43 points early in the quarter was down to 15 by the halfway mark. 

Grimm immediately replied to give themselves some breathing room. 21 points ahead with seven minutes remaining, the task was difficult for Xiong if they wanted to win. However, the Bears went on a burst, as they quickly scored five goals in six minutes to eventually go nine points ahead. The crowd was shellshocked and suddenly they were booing. Despite this, Grimm entered their forward line again and Silvio Silvagni gathered the ball deep in the pocket but managed a minor score. Xiong ran out the clock to complete the comeback as the home crowd booed the Reapers players for their late collapse after the siren. 
FT - Grimm 14.14 (98), Xiong 16.10 (106)
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddcc47m-29690081-c922-4b50-bb0a-365b0910b710.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1953_2sf_by_tgartworks_ddcc47m-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRjYzQ3bS0yOTY5MDA4MS1jOTIyLTRiNTAtYmIwYS0zNjViMDkxMGI3MTAucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.KIVW0M8P8SeZs3eCDwScnDg-H26TOViO7FH2nXHvHWQ[/img]  
PRELIMINARY FINAL
GRIMM VS. ULBRICH
AT TATFELD OVAL
SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1953 - 2:10PM 

Given the late collapse against Xiong the previous week, many pundits predicted Ulbrich to win due to their strong form, along with the mental edge. In spite of this, the crowd at Tatfeld Oval were prepared to lift their beloved Reapers across the line to keep the quest for the three-peat alive. Ulbrich however were determined to avenge their foes in what would be last year's grand final rematch. 

Travis Yeoman managed the first score of the match, a behind for Ulbrich. A shocking clanger kick from William Burton then immediately allowed Paul Christodoulou to score the first goal of the game. Ulbrich seemed to be on top in the early minutes of the game as the Pilots added another. Despite this, Grimm woke out of their slumber and piled on six unanswered goals to end the quarter 27 points ahead, with Hyun Ki-Chang scoring three.
QT - Grimm 6.4 (40), Ulbrich 2.1 (13) 

The Reapers' momentum continued as they started the second. Grimm dominated possession in the first few minutes of the quarter, but only managed one goal. Ulbrich absorbed the pressure and immediately answered, with the Pilots 30 points down. Fans in Grimm still believed there was going to be a thrashing. Despite this, Ulbrich kept pressing as the Pilots midfield dominated the play, creating plenty of opportunities. As a result, the Pilots ended up with six goals for the quarter, as scores were tied at the halfway mark. 
HT - Grimm 7.8 (50), Ulbrich 8.2 (50) 

The siren was what the Reapers needed and they came out firing, scoring the first three goals of the term to get themselves out to a nineteen point lead. Ulbrich slowly worked their way back into the contest, as Yeoman marked to subsequently convert the Pilots' second goal which put them within six. A strong tackle by Ibrahim Salaam on Bishal Dhariwal won the Reapers a free kick as Salaam played on and found Hyun. Hyun converted for his fourth goal of the game to double the Reapers' lead, which they held to three-quarter time. 
3QT - Grimm 11.9 (75), Ulbrich 10.3 (63) 

Tensions were high in Grimm as while the Reapers were playing better, the Pilots' straighter kicking placed them within striking distance. Ulbrich won the first ruck contest, as Rocco Ferrari bombed the ball long to the goalsquare, which Colin Ballagh picked up the loose ball to subsequently score a goal. The difference was now one kick. Ulbrich kept pressing but managed a few behinds. Suddenly, Ibrahim Salaam kicked a beautiful pass to Mitchell Yamada, where he eventually found Jimmy Wagner to score an open goal. The crowd in Grimm were back on their feet as the margin exceeded a goal. Grimm had their share of dominance, and added two more goals, though wasted a few opportunities. But given they extended their lead to 24 points with five minutes left, it was assured that they were safe. The Reapers flooded back, and whilst Ulbrich kept pressing forward, the Reapers' flooding tactic limited the Pilots to one goal within the next few minutes to prevail by 17. Grimm have advanced to their fourth consecutive grand final! 
FT - Grimm 14.12 (96), Ulbrich 12.7 (79) [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddcc47s-dbc02656-927d-47ce-b78b-8970c6978b69.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1953_pf_by_tgartworks_ddcc47s-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRjYzQ3cy1kYmMwMjY1Ni05MjdkLTQ3Y2UtYjc4Yi04OTcwYzY5NzhiNjkucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.50D46AdENirj59jx56IHbfMbQa3Po_QD1YBa6PzKw4I[/img]

Last edited by Goran The Man (7/23/2019 7:56 am)

Congrats to the Bears