Warriors and Rams meet again with plenty to prove
The first time London Warriors and Alpine Rams faced each other, it produced one of the most compelling games of the AFLE season so far. The Rams came from behind on the road to win 23:20, handing the Warriors a defeat that stung. Now the two teams meet again, and both arrive in very different shape than they did the first time.
A game that had everything
The first meeting set a high bar. London controlled the opening half almost completely, a defensive safety, a Marcus Libman 46-yard catch and a Raymond Sobowale touchdown run had the Warriors rolling and the crowd firmly behind them. But the second half was a completely different game. Kevin Kaya took over after the break, racking up six receptions, 110 yards and a touchdown on back-to-back big plays with quarterback Seth Morgan, and Braden Price delivered the decisive moment with an interception that swung the game at exactly the right time. The Rams held on for a 23:20 win, their first in AFLE history, earned on the road in the most dramatic fashion.
Warriors looking for answers
Since that defeat, London have picked up two wins, but they have not yet looked like a team that has fully found itself. There are encouraging signs, particularly in what Tyrell Bovelle has added to their backfield since his arrival, but too much has been inconsistent to call this a Warriors side that is firing on all cylinders. This game, though, is exactly the kind of opportunity they need. A win on the road against the team that beat them earlier in the season would send a clear message to the rest of the league that London are still very much in the picture.
Rams still searching
Alpine, meanwhile, are still looking for consistency. That first-game victory was a genuine statement of character, but they have found it difficult to build on it in the weeks since. Seth Morgan and Kaya showed in the first game that they can hurt any defense when they are clicking, but the Rams have not been able to produce that level of performance regularly enough. Home advantage will matter, but they will need more than that to stop a Warriors side with something to prove.
The rematch
Everything that made the first game so good is still there. Two teams who know each other now, both with something to fight for, both capable of producing the kind of second-half football that decided things last time. London want revenge and a statement. The Rams want to prove the first result was no fluke. It should be another good one.
