NEW FACES READY TO CLAW FOR PANTHERS VICTORY

There will be several new faces on the Wroclaw Panthers sideline this weekend, as the Polish team seek to avenge their Week 2 defeat by the Nordic Storm.

The European League of Football’s newest team emerged as comfortable winners after an exciting first encounter at Wroclaw’s Olympic Stadium but, with the venues reversed, the Panthers fly to Copenhagen with one goal: to get even and record a third victory of the season.

Wroclaw goes into the Week 6 rematch with momentum after an impressive road triumph over the lowly Cologne Centurions, the 57-3 scoreline returning head coach Craig Kuligowski’s team to a .500 record at 2–2. They do so, however, with several important personnel changes in their ranks, including new offensive line coach Brayden McCombs, who flew in from Toulouse, where he coached the Bears as far as the wild card round of the French league.

McCombs’ unit will be fortified by the arrival of experienced Brazilian Leandro Fonseca, while the defensive ranks were strengthened by the New Zealander Zaire Ugapo who, in the past, played for Hamburg Sea Devils among others, the Ukrainian Tymur Lytvynov, who previously played in the Polish league, and Wojciech Simka, who returns to the Panthers squad after a season with the Warsaw Eagles.

They will face an unbeaten, and frankly impressive, Storm side, led by former Rhein Fire MVP Jadrian Clark, a strong passing offense and stingy defense.

“After the defeat in the first match, we are hungry for revenge, especially on the defense,” cornerback Maciej Jablonski insisted. “We definitely want to enter this clash much more aggressively. We know the strengths of our rivals and we are ready to respond. The opponent has very strong and physical players in both formations, so we will respond in exactly the same way — with strength and physicality.

“I cordially invite all fans [to get] in front of their TV screens, computers and ‘phones — or to the stadium in Copenhagen! We can promise a very physical and tough match. We will give a lot of health for every yard gained. We play for you and we will do everything to make this weekend more pleasant for you with a victory!”