Judging by the words of the Novi Sad Dukes’ quarterback and receiver Rastko Jokić prior to the Vukovi game, his team is planning to play its best when September comes, with them in the playoffs presumably. Yet, despite the overtime loss to the Vukovi, and the subpar effort in the season opener, they may as well be, along with the Blue Devils, the most convincing team in the league.
In three games the Dukes are averaging 33 points per game, over 350 yards of offense, and although the Vukovi are right there with them, and have a win over them, the fact remains they’re doing it without any imports, and not just imports, but without any foreign players at all.
Belgrade has two imports, the Gladiators and the Cowboys have them as well, and while the Wolves don’t have anyone they brought in to play, they do have Americans. The Dukes however are the only successful team that has neither, and they’ve found success by keeping most of their core together since the first CEFL season. Although like everyone they struggle to keep all of their players, Čaba Juhas is still throwing passes, and Marko Đanić is still running the ball, like in year one. Still, one other player emerged this year, collecting 24 receptions for nearly 400 yards in only three games.
„I am a little bit [surprised], but in essence, we did well this winter, and how he prepared it could’ve been expected. Although I didn’t count on being used as much by the coaches”, says receiver Jovan Plećaš who is on pace to set many records in the league, for a long time.
The Wolves end up coming to Novi Sad, despite it being their home game, because of an agreement between teams before the season. They might regret it now, considering that they’ll play out the season having to win most of their games. If they lose for the third time this season, catching the Vukovi will likely become impossible. The biggest reason for that is the Vukovi edged out the Dukes — had they not, the battle for a playoff spot between them and Budapes would have ended up being much more open.
“We’d like to meet them again, preferably in the final, but we still have to see about that. I regret losing, but I think we showed that we’re at the very least as good a team as they are”, says Plećaš of the Vukovi loss. “We’re going for the win [against the Wolves]. They’re a good team, but I consider us favorites as the home team and as a team that’s playing better and better.”
The Wolves got their first win of the season in Zagreb, after starting 0-2, while the Dukes recovered from their one loss, crushing the Cowboys two weeks ago. The game starts 4PM, and will be played on FK Kabel’s stadium; also, it will be broadcast on the Serbian Sport Klub, Sunday from 10PM and on other Sport Klub channels throughout Europe.