Game preview: Nordmen vs Bouncers

After a disappointing loss to the Northern Lights, the Rovaniemi Nordmen host their home opener against the Mikkeli Bouncers. The Nordmen are looking to get back on track, at home, with a win.

After suffering a tough loss to the Northern Lights in the battle of the north, the Nordmen are looking for another win in their column at home. The warriors of the four winds will host the Bouncers this Sunday at the local football sanctuary Susivouti. The Nordmen have a 1-1 record after 2 weeks. It’s obvious they have suffered some growing pains especially on the offensive side of the ball. Home opener is always a big thing and the hype is real. Look for the Nordmen to pull out all the stops in front of the home crowd!

What to expect from the Bouncers

The Bouncers are at the top of the group A in division 2 with a 2-0 record. They hammered the Goats 46-0 and beat last years number 2 Pirkkala Spartans in a tight game 24-21. What does this tell us? The Bouncers are not messing around. They are a very competitive team, who are very good at running the ball on offense. Most of their offense is based on running hard and beating down the opposing defense, they have found ways in the passing game too, but rarely. Look for them to run it outside of the numbers and play-action passes to support their good run game.

Defensively the Bouncers have a steady group all out. Their defensive line looks to be a very dominant unit in the heart of the defense. Look for them to cause some headaches for the struggling Nordmen offensive line.

What to expect from the Nordmen

As we have pointed out every single week, the Nordmen are still experiencing some growing pains. How do they shake it off? After a tough game in Oulu, the Nordmen issues were lack of production by the offense. The offensive line lost their battles, receivers dropped balls and way too many penalties. The coaching staff have been tackling these issues all week. Expect them to have made all the necessary changes they need to succeed in front of the home crowd.

Offensively the Nordmen need to get more time for QB Lucas Martinez, which Coach Jonathan Ashton has been working very hard to get addressed in practice this past week. Look for the Nordmen to be much more physical at home. WR Alfonso Ikäheimo had a big game in week 2. Expect him to be a marked man for the opposing team. Last week the Nordmen were not spreading the ball enough, expect this to change a lot this week. The almost famous trio at this point ” the three amigos” rookies Miika Virkki, Olli Salmela and Aleksi Vaarala have yet found ways to a break-out performance. Now is their shot! Home field, home opener infront of all their fans!

Defensively, the Nordmen are a scary monster. Leading the charge as usual is DL Petri ” the Pulverizer” Korhonen and DB Aurelien Germay the defense is a force to be reckoned with. The defense hasn’t skipped a beat all season and don’t expect to see that change. They have their home crowd behind them, so except them to be even more fierce! It has been next to impossible to run the ball against them, and although the secondary has experienced a few mistakes, they are getting stronger with every snap.

The Nordmen are at home for the first time this season. The game will be a hard-fought battle in the trenches. This will be a must see! Lets all go out to Susivouti and cheer our home team to a victory!

Important Info

Kick-off is at 4pm, Sunday 19th at Susivouti. Additional information can be found in our Facebook event.Tickets are 7€ for adults; 5€ for students, retirees and civil service/military members & under 17 is free, season tickets can also be bought at the game (25€). For directions to Susivoudin kenttä, follow this link. Food, refreshments and fan gear will be available for purchase at the snack bar.