Top of the Table Clash

2009-06-25

The Game of the Week this Saturday has all the makings of a preview of a big time playoff game in a couple of months’ time and possibly even the 2009 championship match.

The defending champion New Haven Warriors (3-0) are set to host the red hot Jacksonville Axemen (4-0) in the American National Rugby League.

The winner of this one will potentially put itself in the driver’s seat for a top place finish at the end of the regular season and that’s important because it will mean a first round bye in the playoffs.

On top of that, the two highest seeded teams also get home field advantage throughout the postseason so there’s a lot to play for even though it’s just the fourth round of the 2009 season.

This matchup will be the final regular season road game for Jacksonville which is scheduled to play its remaining matches at home in north Florida. The Axemen opened the season with away games in Washington, DC and Fairfax, Virginia.

As for the Warriors, they haven’t missed a beat since clinching their very first AMNRL title last summer.

There have been some key personnel changes from the 2008 team, but New Haven has recruited exceptionally well picking up gamers such as Ihaka Waerea and player/coach Roy Leoni. Both have been very influential in the Warriors’ three wins to date.

Interestingly, in games against their only common denominator the DC Slayers, the Axemen and Warriors each put 44 points on the board. The minor difference is that Jacksonville allowed 24 points in their match, which was the season opener, while New Haven allowed 12.

The #1 Axemen and #2 Warriors have also earned bonus point wins from all of their games so far, suggesting that they are both equally adept at finding the try zone.

Elsewhere, the New York Knights will be looking to bounce back from their defeat by Jacksonville last week when they face off against the Northern Raiders.

Other matchups see the Philadelphia Fight hosting the Slayers, the Boston 13s are at home to the Aston Bulls in what should be a very competitive game, the Connecticut Wildcats are at the Fairfax Eagles, while the Bucks County Sharks have a bye.

Article courtesy of Brian Lowe at ARN.
http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/rugby_league/Game_of_the_Week_1_plays_2.shtml