“The Loreni Jadefire are champions in their first season, taking home the Kislev Plate after a narrow 1-0 victory in a tense final. 19,000 Jadefire fans came out to see the sides battle with a new record gate of 26,000.

The Arkhan Faroahs had dealt out plenty of damage on their way to the final, and they weren't about to rest on their laurels. A journeyman lino had his collar bone wrecked, ensuring any future he has with the Jadefire will be shovelling out the privy troughs. Dodge/guard lino Arandor - known for being a bit fancy, even for an Elf - met a grisly end at the hand of Throw-Ra Sefu (who skilled up for the effort).

Loreni elected to receive. The Faraohs offered up a very high kick but catcher Taniion Rolonae, not known for his outstanding ball handling skills, couldn't make the catch. The Jadefire began with some flat, disinterested blocking which set the tone for the match. Today would be about dodging away from Faraohs and keeping the block count as low as possible.

Arkhan had other ideas. They began the onslaught early. Blitz-Ra Horus (who was outstanding throughout the game) removed old man Tiduron before he'd even found his elbows.

Loreni moved the ball around well. A catcher hand-off to emerging star wardancer Hérion Oreth led to a left-right-left switch up pass to kicker Valiath. Wrestling lino Tûrin managed to badly hurt himself on a dodge in one of the few serious failings of the match.

Valiath ran in the turn 5 score in spite of a stifling Faraoh defence. The Jadefire set up then with Tiduron KO'd and Tûrin BH. 9 players left; no harm done. YET. Wrestler lino Belthorion, picked for LoS duty, got smashed out of the game on the first block of turn 5 and Thro-Ra Sefu picked up the ball for the rush. WD Hérion Oreth responded with the Jadefire's only casualty against a skeleton who was hit so hard he couldn't even regenerate.

However, Hérion's dazzling leap-blitz on the thro-ra couldn't strip the ball away from the carrier (skull/skull rr'd push/push). Blitz-Ra Horus then KO'd the Jadefire's #1 player for his efforts, significantly reducing our options for outlandish plays. -2d attempts on the carrier produced no fruits either. However, the eventual no-guts-no-glory run on the endzone from the Faraohs ended with their man on the ground and the score still firmly at 1-0 for the Jadefire.

Second half. Hérion in the KO box and 7 Welves left. Tiduron had come back though, and had the fans chanting his name after forcing a both down against the Tomb Guardian that blocked him. Replacement WD Maeion Aldavir, playing in his second game, had the chance to make a name for himself. He leapt towards the open ball (requiring a RR) and then failed the pickup. This Elf needs training hard before Season VI if he's to have any chance of becoming something! Blitz-Ra Horus had no difficulty bringing the pointy-eared fool down but Thro-Ra Sefu still couldn't get a handle on the ball.

Undeterred, Maeion tried for his second leap to get a blitz on the carrier and get the ball. He 2/1'd the leap and ended up on his arse. Well, we can't say he hasn't got spirit. He just needs skill to back that up. Turn 3 then, and the Faroahs still can't get possession of the ball. Finally, on his third attempt Maeion grabs the ball and sprints to the end zone for certain victory and his first slab of SPP!

OR NOT! The OWCC wizard's bolt slams into the top of the WD's frame to the fury of 19,000 fans! The ball scatters and Maeion is dragged off BH by the snotlings to be patched up by the apothecary (although he never returned, and we could have used the apo roll shortly thereafter). Catcher Taniion was crowd pushed, luckily finding himself in the midst of his own fans and able to find his way back to the reserves bench (after a long crowdsurfing detour).

Then Thro-Ra Sefu, who had struggled so much to get hold of the ball, made his own fans sing with a brutal hit on dodge/guard lino Arandor that ended his career - and less importantly, his life. He had 1 Cp, 2 Tds, 1 Cs and 2 Mvps for 19 Spp. He was also responsible for brutally murdering Celuhabar in our debut game way back in the pre-season. It was fitting he went out this way.

Down to 4 then. A wrestle lino, a kick lino and two lackeys. Faraoh hero Horus slowly brings the ball from a long way down the field. The WElves ready themselves for the equalising score and the 5-man OT. They keep together and get a few blocks in where they can. Their dodging is competent. Their skills are mediocre. They're doing better than the rest - they're still on the pitch! The Faraohs creep forward and Erathudur even decides to KO a skeleton (perhaps he said something about the lad's receding hairline?).

In fact - someone surely did say something about his hairline - because Erathudur dodges away from his marker and puts the 1d blitz on the carrier, wrestling Horus down. Then Siladon (who was promised a portrait if he could "be the hero") forces the both down on a Tomb Guardian to end the Faraohs chances of equalising.

The Jadefire win with four left on the pitch. Hérion can't even be roused from unconsciousness to receive the Kislev Plate so scorer Valiath is given the honour! Roll on Season VI!”