Weather: Rain
Gate: 35k It was obvious that the defending champs were in town when Wild Stadium was over-subscribed by 7,000 bloodthirsty fans. The Mugaz had visited in Week 7 during 2003 and left with a narrow victory that confirmed their spot in the post-season and effectively denied the Wildmen a playoff position. It was the Wildmen's only defeat by a Western Conference side that year. With both teams having secured opening day wins, against the Savages and All-Stars respectively, interest around the league was high. A win for either team would be a strong platform for the rest of the season as no team in the West has ever won their opening two fixtures.
The Wildmen won the toss and elected to receive. The Mugaz put up a layered defense with a relatively light front line and extra trenches behind. Anyone who plays the Wildmen will be rightly nervous of the ability of Speedy McSpeedy, the 2003 Player of the Year so extra cover in the deep is often welcome. The Wildmen were hampered by the continued poor health of Minotaur Horny Wildman, the leading Casualty inflictor in 2003. He had missed much of the game against the Savages and was unable to start the game this time around. The game opened with some aggression from the home crowd, a rock finding its way from the stands to the head of Mugaz Lineman Luciferase who suffered a knock-out. The violence did not continue on the pitch, the blocking unit of the Wildmen not making much impression on the visitors line. The early play was somewhat scrappy with a lack of big hits and a fumble from Speedy McSpeedy who was unable to deal with the slightly slippery ball.
With the ball on the floor and with no real damage committed, the Mugaz attempted to slip a couple of players through the offensive line to pressurise the ball-handlers of the Wildmen. The ploy was a good one but Sami "The Hoop" was unable to get through the tackles and was taken down. The Norse Catcher was the lead player attempting to bring pressure so with him down it was clearly off and Speedy was finally able to bring the ball under his control. The home side spent a moment consolidating their position, checking the field for weakspots before heading towards to the right flank. Sami "The Hoop" had been stunned by the tackle and the Norse Catcher was clearly someone that the Wildmen had targeted for damage. Referee Incerellon Fleet was called into action by two consecutive appalling fouls. The first of these was from Lineman Mr Large but his dreadful foul was spotted by the ref and he was off. Within moments, Mr Wildman the team captain and Troll Blocker followed Large off the field. Again the foul was terrible, neither had registered any damage at all and both had been sent off by the referee. They clearly both deserved to go for such pitiful attempts at fouling. If the aim had been to eliminate Sami "The Hoop" from the game, it had failed and at the cost of two players including the captain.
To another team, the loss of two players might have been a problem but the Wildmen have shown time and time again that they can win using the skill of just one player. That player is Speedy McSpeedy. The Mugaz were clearly wary of him having been burnt for three touchdowns in two games last season, two away and one at home. The defensive strategy was to drop deep in order to provide greater cover in the secondary. It didn't work. Speedy's position on the right flank was not covered well enough and he raced down the sideline before the Mugaz could get across. Speedy is one rapid player and even a defence ranked second in 2003 could not hold him. Despite the score, the Mugaz were still well in the game. The two sending offs by strict referee Incerellon fleet meant the home side were short staffed in their blocking unit and there was still around half of the first period left to play.
The advantage for the Mugaz was compounded by the continued absence of Horny Wildman, the Minotaur was not ruled out of the game by the medical staff but his entry into the game was questionable. Despite this, the visitors found the going tough. The Wildmen's kick-off was short which played into their hands thanks to their aggressive front line set-up. The Mugaz couldn't make any impression on the defensive numbers and the normally reliable Dark Elf Thrower Arda was unable to grab hold of the ball at the first attempt. By the time he had picked it up, the Wildmen were pushing forward and it was that man Speedy who was first on the scene. He dodged free, blitzed and flattened Arda for the fifth successful tackle of his career. Despite this, the visitors seemed remarkably calm in response. They pressed ahead with their game plan which included sending their own High Elf Catcher Salogel Litefoot deep into Wildmen territory in anticipation of a successful resolution of the ball. This proved a mistake thanks to a cunning play by the ground staff Wild Stadium. They had imbeded a trampoline trap into the surface of the field and it was directly in the running lane that Salogel used. He fell onto the trampoline and was launched back into his own half.
The flying High Elf distracted his own players and allowed Speedy McSpeedy to make yet another play. Speedy lowered his shoulder and blitzed through the pack that had gathered around the ball, the blow was enough to Badly Hurt Norse Catcher Henrik Bjornstad-Ibson and to free up enough of the ball for the incredible High Elf to grab hold of it and race into the backfield. The Mugaz had no-one that could keep pace and it was a second score for Speedy in the game, his fifth in three games against last year's Champs. There was almost no time for a response, the score coming so close to half time. This didn't mean that there wasn't time for any response as the Mugaz managed to get in a sneaky foul in the dying seconds of the half by Lineman Luciferase Fookalite on Norse Blitzer Mr Long Horn which put the Norseman out of the game.
Two down at the half though, the Mugaz were staring at their first ever loss to the Wildmen. No team has ever recovered from two down to avoid defeat. Perhaps this thought was seeping round the expectant visiting support when they threw a rock onto the field of play. It didn't cause much damage but was indicative of the way that expectations of the Mugaz have risen since their unexpected Championship victory last season. Again, the Wildmen did not kick deep and posted a heavy front line but were without two of their heavies in Mr Wildman and Horny Wildman so it was not as intimidating a front as usual. The defense appeared instead to be relying on Speedy. It is arguable that the Junior Wildmen are actually a one player team though Horny Wildman did make the All-Pro squad in 2003 if not the team. Still, the defensive set-up was predicated on Speedy once again making a play.
Speedy was given an opportunity to make it work when the Mugaz played their hand. Arda scooped up the ball and despite the rain made a quick pass to Salogel Litefoot who in turn sped down his left wing. It was High Elf on High Elf and the new pretender was overmatched. Speedy secured his second tackle of the game by bringing Litefoot down in full flight. However, there is maybe one weakness in Speedy's game and it is his propensity to fumble in the rain. Not for the first time Speedy put the ball on the deck thanks to the slippery conditions. Those with a long memory will remember the crucial drop he made in Week 7 of 2003 against the Dolts that cost them the win in pouring rain. This time, Speedy's fumble was punished instantly. A second wave of Mugaz led by Chaos Dwarf Vood Azizpour blitzed him out of the way, allowing Salogel to get up and run into the end zone to await the ball. It was duly delivered by Arda. The Golden Arm of 2003 found the conditions no obstacle to complete the pass and make it 2-1.
A quick strike to start the second half was just what the defending Champs needed and must have rattled the home side just a little. Still, there is a confidence that runs through the team or more accurately through Speedy McSpeedy. It was he who took the ensuing kick-off amid a chorus of boos from an unusually aggravated home support and struck off immediately down the field. The return of Horny Wildman should have cheered anyone associated with the Wildmen as he finally recovered from his ailments to make the field of play. With Horny's return, the blocking unit managed to turn up the heat with a couple of knockdowns but it was extinguished almost immediately. The battle of the Norse Linemen was well and truly won by Oyvind Stravengar of the Mugaz who Badly Hurt his opposite number Arse. This was followed up by a knockout on Lineman Mr Big Balls to put the Wildmen at a numerical disadvantage. Still, this has never stopped Speedy. With some thunderous blitzes from Horny Wildman in support, Speedy carried on down the field and open into the Mugaz backfield. His pace took him past most players but he was still lined up against the safet, Norse Thrower Aaaarne "The Launcher". Aaaarne was the leading tackler in 2003 and he was left one on one with Speedy McSpeedy, the leading scorer from last season.
The blitz was not enough to put Speedy on the deck but it was enough to dislodge the ball. Running at pace, handling the ball is difficult at the best of times but against a player skilled in the dark arts of stripping it away it becomes a nightmare. The ball was ripped clear of Speedy's grasp but still deep in Mugaz territory. Whoever could get the second phase of ball handling first would take command of the drive. The Wildmen were unable to make an impression downfield, their blocking failing them at a crucial stage of the game. First on the scene was Arda, an extremely composed player who took stock of the situation and made exactly the right play. The completion found Salogel Litefoot once again and it was a straight foot race. Anyone with any pace from the Wildmen had pressed forward trying to support Speedy so there was no-one deep enough to challenge Litefoot. The race was easily won by Salogel Litefoot and remarkably it was 2-2 just as it had been first time up in 2003.
The game ende with that score and the first ever comeback from two down. There is a reason that the Mugaz are defending champions and that is their ability to stay calm and continue to make plays throughout the game. Speedy McSpeedy managed two touchdowns but was matched exactly by Salogel Litefoot, the young pretender to his throne. The draw means that still no team has ever won their opening two fixtures in the Western Conference and that both of these teams are in with a realistic chance of taking the Conference title. The Wildmen will rue the early sending offs but it is not clear that these affected the end result. It is clear that the home side were too reliant on Speedy McSpeedy and even he can occasionally do with some back-up. The Mugaz will be pleased that their new deep threat in the passing game is panning out and that Salogel Litefoot is a genuine challenger to Speedy's crown as best player in the league.
Injuries: None
Key Stats
| Team |
CAS
|
Blocks
|
Downs
|
Rush
|
Pass
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildmen |
1
|
36
|
18
|
46
|
0
|
Mugaz |
2
|
34
|
21
|
22
|
15
|
MVPS: Mr Small Balls, Mumraaah
Best Players
Speedy McSpeedy: 2 TDs, 1 CAS, 3 Rushes for 40 yards, 5 Blocks, 4 Downs, 2 Tackles, 1 Dodge, 3 Fumbles
Salogel Litefoot: 2 TDs, 2 Rushes for 14 yards, 3 Receptions for 15 yards, 3 Dodges, 2 Stands, 1 Fall, 1 Fumble
Arda: 1 Rush for 4 yards, 3 Completions for 15 yards