The penultimate round of the 2016 home-and-away season was played in sub-zero temperatures on the icy slopes of Wireless Hill in August. Some commentators have suggested that the high proportion of fixtures in the Deep South does not bode well for President Barney’s re-election campaign.

Geopolitics aside, the August round had it all. There was some high-altitude play, some mighty fine play and some that might be described as underwhelming.

Those Ball Boys seem to be missing Buzz Lightbeer. Cannonball was AWOL, so Reg had to play three games on his Pat Malone. He won one of them by a bee’s dick, dispatching the Stealers (Stella and S&M, sans Mochu), 7-6, but lost, 6-8, to the Pigs and 5-7 to the Jolly Rogers. Reg pointed out that they were all close contests, a point that was graciously acknowledged by all. As to the effect of losing games by narrow margins, see the ladder.

The Stealers also lost their other game, going down 6-8 to the inscrotable BP.

The Dirty Three won one from two, defeating the Inscrotables (BP without Gonad), 7-4, but lost, 4-7, to the Flying Pigs (playing without Digger). The Pigs won all three of their games, the other one being a 7-5 defeat of the ladder-leading Jolly Rogers, and the Pigs are now in second place with a round to play.