Everyone loves an underdog story. So who do you barrack for if none of the competitors can be classed as an underdog? Who do you get invested in if all the remaining teams are former champions? Because that’s the situation we find ourselves in now in the second week of finals. With Natalie and Andrew eliminated from the finals race last week, the only remaining teams are those run by Gav, Brenton, Tom and Alan. The same teams that made up the top 4. And that might sound like a common occurrence, but the teams finishing top 4 haven’t all made the prelim since 2020. In fact, in the past 3 seasons, only 2 teams finishing in the top 4 have made prelims each time.
So who do we root for? The former champion vs the former champion, or the former champion vs the two-time former champion? Why do we care?
Well, it’s a tough one, and that’s why instead of the usual match previews (that I haven’t done since last year’s Grand Final) I am instead going to lay out the reasons why you should be barracking for each of these teams. And after that, I’ll leave it up to you to decide.
2024 Final Home and Away Ladder Position: 1 Seasons in IJL (including 2024): 12 Overall IJL Ranking Points: 53 Overall IJL Rank: 4th
Of all the former champions in the prelims, Gav took the longest to finally win one. His championship came only 3 seasons ago, meaning he’s also the coach to have most recently won one. Should that make you root against him? Well, maybe, but that’s kinda going against what I’m trying to do here, so let’s start over. Of all the former champions in the prelims, Gav is certainly one of them. And he’s the one who finished on top of the ladder. Doesn’t that make him the most deserving? We think so. He got here without being gifted any free Pendleburies, too. Instead he did what any sane person would and got up every morning at 4am to check for any waiver or free agent releases and then spent the rest of the day making memes on terrible AFL meme facebook groups. That’s dedication. That’s someone who deserves to take home a second championship. But why take my word for it when we can get some references from members of the AFL Memes Group facebook group that Gav so loves?|
Ah, hmmm. This write-up is overrrr!
A good option for fans of: Making terrible memes, living in towns with threatening names, Collingwood (because both only win one flag every 10-20 years).
2024 Final Home and Away Ladder Position: 2 Seasons in IJL (including 2024): 12 Overall IJL Ranking Points: 54 Overall IJL Rank: 3rd
This year Brenton left the country halfway through the season and was gone for several weeks. As such, this was supposed to be the year where his season was a disaster. And here he is finishing 2nd on the ladder at the end of the home and away season. And not just finishing 2nd - also finishing 1st for total points. Brenton, this was not the drop-off we expected nor wanted from you this year. But look. If nothing else can be said for Brenton, it’s this: he’s not Alan. He’s only won the championship once. He’s only ranked 3rd in the overall rankings (although that is the highest of all player who hasn’t won 2 flags). So if it comes down to it, you’re definitely going to want Brenton to win… at least over Alan. And he’s also the Master of Records, a title he’s upheld well for all of our benefit, storing and providing handy stats and maintaining a monstrous spreadsheet to do so. He’s put in more work than any of YOU lazy plebs who just turn up and get to play the game that ruins our lives every year without really having to commit to anything. In fact, with this being the first and only write-up I’ve written of 2024, it’s safe to say he’s also put in more effort than I have this year. Although one look at my team and the fact I drafted Schultz should tell you that anyway. So why should you barrack for Brenton? Because he’s actually helped this league thrive, whicih is more than you’ve ever done, you parasite.
A good option for fans of: Stats, the movie ‘Coming To America’, security guards, Essendon (this might be the only way you’ll ever feel joy, if so), Essington, Brenton.
2024 Final Home and Away Ladder Position: 3 Seasons in IJL (including 2024): 10 Overall IJL Ranking Points: 28 Overall IJL Rank: 7h
It must be said that when Tom joined the Injustice League, he was a complete random. A total stranger who joined the iPrimus Gaming Network forum (which we frequented at the time and used as a starting point to create the league) just because he was looking for some people to play SuperCoach with. At least, that’s the story he told us. And since then he’s been to more IJL drafts than some of the people we actually knew in real life. It’s been 9 long years since Tom won his first and only Injustice League championship ring (at least, I’m pretty sure he got a ring, it was so long ago…). And since that time Tom has moved interstate, become consumed by petty things like education, employment and love - and his SC efforts have drastically fallen away. In 2024, however, he vowed to return with full force to the Injustice League. And just like that, he’s made the prelims again. Very frustrating for someone like me who just can’t even make the top 16 under normal circumstances, I must say. Still, it has been 9 seasons since Tom won the Injustice League making it a distant memory. So it probably won’t be too jarring to see him win it again. Also, you’re far less likely to randomly run into him and have to suffer his gloating (with the exception of the draft next year, potentially). And lastly, unlike every other player remaining this season, Tom is one of the members of the First to Worst club and a former champ who was then relegated to the Dirt League to wile away for a couple of seasons before making his return. So this might be a great redemption arc that no other team can claim.
A good option for fans of: Mysterious strangers, any interstate team (especially Brisbane), Hawthorn (since Tom has most of them in his side), the Dirt League, redemption arcs.