The Dubai Stallions have waited all season to extract their revenge on the Abu Dhabi Wildcats when it matters most and now they have their chance when the teams meet in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Stallions and Wildcats will face each other ahead of the Desert Bowl, which Abu Dhabi has won over Dubai in consecutive seasons.
Last year, the favoured Stallions had their undefeated run ended by the Wildcats on their home soil. While the title won’t be on the line this time around, it’s a chance at payback for Dubai at Zayed Sports City.
“It is a motivator,” Stallions coach Anthony Daniels said.
“We lost to them in the Desert Bowl after having a perfect season last year. It was not a good way to end the season. The players don’t need a whole lot of reminding, it’s on their minds.”
Despite being the two-time defending champions, the Wildcats enter the playoffs flying under the radar.
An inconsistent regular season produced a 3-3-1 record, but coach Charles Gillespie is just fine with the underdog role.
“That’s great, I love it. We have less to lose,” Gillespie said.
“The team with the most weight is the one seed. We’ve had that experience in the first year and for those coaches, I do feel for them a bit because they of course expect to win.
"But it’s the playoffs, it’s a one-game season and anything can happen.”
The two sides have encountered each other just twice this year, with the first game ending in a tie and the Stallions earning a 14-6 win in the most recent match-up.
In Dubai’s victory, wide receiver Askia Horne-Pierre was held in check in the passing game, but was a major factor as a defensive back on the other side of the ball, intercepting Abu Dhabi quarterback Perry Blackburn twice.
The dynamic wideout gives Daniels another option, but the Wildcats don’t expect to be caught off-guard again.
“Last game, we got a little cocky, a little confident throwing the ball to his side,” Gillespie said.
“He is a ball-hawk, he will find the ball in the air being so long and rangy.”
Abu Dhabi have their own game-changing receiver in Corey Williams, who’s come on in the second half of the season.
Since the winter break, the speedster has three touchdown grabs in three games, including a pair of 80-yard scores – one of which came in the loss to Dubai.
With both teams boasting explosive players, the outcome could hinge on a single play.
“I think it will come down to who can make the stops,” Daniels said.
“I think that will be a big indicator of this game. Whoever has the most big plays will probably win the game.”
Cudas vow not to let complacency take over
After an emotional win to earn first place in the regular season finale, Dubai Barracudas have to quickly refocus and shift attention to the Al Ain Desert Foxes with the stakes now at their highest.
The Barracudas earned the No1 seed for the playoffs and winless Al Ain as their opening round opponent at Zayed Sports City.
With the Desert Bowl just one win away, it would be easy for Dubai to envision themselves playing for the ultimate prize.
Coach Kyle Jordan, however, stressed that there won’t be any complacency.
“Everybody knows their mission and we’re not messing around now,” said Jordan.
“We, as coaches and the leadership on the team, have been harping on it all week. There can’t be any let-up.”
Al Ain haven’t seen game action since January 30, forfeiting their final two contests of the regular season due to injuries.
But Desert Foxes coach Darrell Magee feels his team will benefit from the extra time to heal.
“We’re going pretty heavy this week in practice,” Magee said. “I don’t think the time off will hurt us.”
One Al Ain player who’s been resting up is running back Ghazi Abdul Hakim, who Magee said will be “95 per cent”.
“I guarantee every other team in the league knows who he [Hakim] is. They might not know him by name, but they know him by number,” Jordan said.
“You’re not going to have a perfect game against a guy like that.
The key is to not let him break an 80-yarder, a big play that can give them hope and hurt our team.”
The two teams have only played once this season, on November 7, 2014, when the Barracudas hammered the Desert Foxes 33-0. Their second scheduled game resulted in one of Al Ain’s forfeits.
