EYBBL Pre-Season 5 Report

The off-season is in full swing. Coaches and players are taking their well-earned rest in holiday homes and sea-side inns from sunny Estalia to the frigid northern wasteland, while commissioners, sponsors, and priests of Nuffle dot the i’s and cross the t’s to prepare for another venture for the glory on the gridiron.

Silly Season, as it’s often known in other sports, is a time of deals, transfers, and movement - both expected and unexpected - of coaches and players between the teams… and boy, how silly this season has been so far.

In the run-up to Season 5, the Round-Up has received exclusive access to insider information about the backroom ongoings of the league.

Firstly, to absolutely no one’s surprise, The Evil Gitz have extended their contract with coach Wilson. Having led them through a solid season, the team of misfits - now defending champions - is taking another punt at securing a second consecutive championship - certainly a first in the league’s history.

Blood Sweat and Beers have also confirmed an extension with coach Jackson as the team is gunning for revenge, having suffered a devastating loss at the hands of the Evil Gitz in the thrilling final.

The same appears to apply to the Lothern Lions who signed a 1 season contract with coach Long, who hopes to lead the team into the final after being brutally stopped by the Norse in the semis. The on-pitch rivalries are building and the fans are all here for it!

It is rumored that the Eathen Eagles coach has been approached by the representatives of the Grand Maws as the team confirmed that coach Holloway will step down from leading the Ogres after being at the helm for a legendary 3 seasons, to pursue a campaign with the Grand Kings on the Kislev Circuit.

To the delight of their fans the Maws finished season 4 solidly in mid-table, and after pocketing the money he made, Elzar the Elf, CFO of the Grand Maws, persuaded Mr. Grand Maw himself to invest in the budding team of rookie humans, who just made their debut at the EYBBL Winter Cup.

The team’s spokesperson confirmed the Kings are due to travel to the Maws’ Mountain Stadium to undergo a training program which they hope will ‘break them in’ for their upcoming venture into pro sports. Broken they certainly will be, and judging by coach Holloway’s tactical ability and bold, unconventional play style, the upcoming season will surely be a thrilling and transformative one for the team.

Everyone at the Round-Up wishes him a resounding success, and hope to see him soon on the East Coast again.

Coach Coultas, who led the Athel-Loren Treeskins to a championship victory in the thrilling season 3 final also confirmed his return, this time with the Naggarond Sea Drakes. It’s not too bold to say the old maxim proves true - “You can take a man out of the elf, but you can’t take the elf out of the man” if you catch our drift.

Only one goblin team is representing the Greenskins so far this season!

The league lineup (so far) looks thusly:

Returning Teams:

- The Evil Gitz (Underworld Denizens) - Coach Wilson

- Blood Sweat and Beers (Norse) - Coach Jackson

- Grand Maws (Ogre) - Coach Pawinski

- Lothern Lions (High Elf) - Coach Long

Newcomers:

- 50 Shades (Vampires) - Coach Lilly

- Naggarond Sea Drakes (Dark Elf) - Coach Coultas

- Nonsense Conduit (Goblin) - Coach Markham-Bew

- Foul Fellas (Nurgle) - Coach Charnock

- Thumbling Flintfickers (Chaos Dwarf) - Coach Latz

- DDtroit Busters (Human) - Coach Utley

- Luthers Roses (Elven Union) - Coach Wallin

- Bummerson’s Best Bois (Dwarf) - Coach Best

Another 4 spots remain to bring the league up to its traditional 16, and there are still some teams rumored to be submitting their applications as we report.

This weekend also saw a number of new and old teams descend on the East Coast for a batch of (un)friendly games in the traditional pre-season combine.

League veterans practiced new plays and tactics, while brand new teams tested their set-ups, roster compositions, chemistry with new coaches, and down-right corrupt foul play, before filing the appropriate paperwork in order to be accepted into the league for the forthcoming season.

The series of friendlies has been enjoyed thoroughly by the local Blood Bowl fans, who gathered in throngs and packed out the local sporting venues.

Soon, the stadiums once again filled with roaring and chants as teams from the local area and abroad battled it out, giving their all in Nuffle’s glorious sport.

The town watch, however, cursed the festival to no end as the post-game debauchery and chaos descended on the usually quiet town causing over 2 million gold pieces’ worth of improvements.

We’ll be back again next week, reporting on the divisional draw and season kick-off.

Stay tuned!