The IFPA Championship Series finals are taking place all over the world in February, and Australia's top 32 champions will fight it out in Melbourne to see who claims the title in 2017. Previously held in Sydney in 2015 and Brisbane in 2016, now it's Melbourne's turn to show the world Australia's best.
This picture was taken at the 2016 Batcave Masters - where many picked up a majority of World Ranking Points going toward their ACS seeding this year. Photo by Matthew Venables Photography http://mvenables.com
Here Game the System lays down the facts and figures - and boldy predicts the top 5 players most likely to stand above the rest and hold aloft the cup!
Jordan Tredaway - Here taking 1st place at the 2016 PAX Australia Pinball Championship.
1. Jordan Tredaway - Australian Rank: 5th out of 1673 players
Location: Melbourne VIC
IFPA ACS Seed: 1st
Jordan is the youngest competitor in this years ACS and one of the newest competitors on the scene. He hasn't let time get in the way of clawing to the top of Australian pinball however - he's seeded 1st out of the 32 players, and has had a habit of winning just about every tournament he enters. His first major tournament win being the 2016 Melbourne Matchplay Championship, he also won the Melbourne Matchplay Flip Frenzy and the 2016 PAX Australia Championship. You will be sure all players will be dreading being matched up with Jordan in the ACS - even those that have been playing for over 30 years!
Paul Jones - Last years ACS Champion.
2. Paul Jones - Australian Rank: 6th out of 1673 players
Location: Wollongong NSW
IFPA ACS Seed: 5th
Not much needs to be said about Paul that hasn't already been said very recently - including news that he is one of two players representing Australia this year in the IFPA World Pinball Championships in Denmark (check post below this one), and that he's the defending champion having won the previous Australian Championship Series in Brisbane last year. The only other thing to be said is to try and avoid playing against him, and be sure to watch him if you're not!
Brett Goodwin (right) - Powered by caffeine...
3. Brett Goodwin - Australian Rank: 4th out of 1673 players
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW
IFPA ACS Seed: 6th
Brett is the type of player that effortlessly steam rolls opponents and doesn't break a sweat doing it. He's represented Australia in the PAPA World Pinball Championships and IFPA World Pinball Championships last year in the USA. He also happens to be the Australian Championship Series champion of 2015 which was held in Sydney. A very friendly and approachable guy, but just watch out if you're playing him - he's got a serious streak that won't let you get away with any funny business!
Robert Macauley (right) - Pinball and video game champion.
4. Robert Macauley - Australian Rank: 3rd out of 1673 players
Location: Adelaide SA
IFPA ACS Seed: 13th
This is a guy you need to keep an eye on... His outward calm and quiet demeanor is an interesting contrast (or perhaps compliment) to the level of skill he posesses with not just pinball, but all of gaming - his many world record scores on Twin Galaxies will attest to that! He was also one of the two Australian representatives for last years PAPA World Pinball Championships and IFPA World Pinball Championships in the USA along with Brett Goodwin. There's always been an air of unmatched skill in the top 4 ranked Australian pinballers, and Rob is the only one of those 4 attending the ACS this year. Don't underestimate this guy just based on his ACS seed this year...
Matthew Venables (right) practicing his other art - photography.
5. Matthew Venables - Australian Rank: 15th out of 1673 players
Location: Sydney NSW
IFPA ACS Seed: 17th
You want a dark horse for this years ACS? Those who know Matthew will tell you he's certainly not a dark horse at all, but he has yet to take a major championship and therefore might fly under the rader of general recognition. He's always up there though, finishing in the top 5 of just about everything he enters. And he keeps getting better, and he keeps smashing every grand champion score that's around. At some point he's going to crack that 1st spot in a major - and it could be this time.
Interestingly, this years ACS may be remembered for the players who aren't competing rather than who is. All 3 of the players who have previously held the spot of Australian Rank number 1, and top 100 in the world, are unable to make it this time around for various reasons (even though each one did qualify). Peter Watt (Australian Rank 1st), Richard Rhodes (Australian Rank 2nd), and Steven Edwards (Australian Rank 8th). You can be sure many of players competing will be breathing a sigh of relief for that!
Peter Watt - Australia's current number 1, is unable to attend this year.
Here's the full list of 32 players and their seed for this years ACS. Any one of them can take the win on the day.
- Jordan Tredaway - Aus Rank 5th - VIC
- Greg Gee - Aus Rank 13th - NSW
- Luke Marburg - Aus Rank 9th - VIC
- Martin Robbins - Aus Rank 12th - VIC
- Paul Jones - Aus Rank 6th - NSW
- Brett Goodwin - Aus Rank 4th - NSW
- Jason Lambert - Aus Rank 7th - QLD
- Gavin Drogemuller - Aus Rank 31st - QLD
- Stuart Thornton - Aus Rank 21st - VIC
- Johnny Crabtree - Aus Rank 14th - VIC
- Pat Nichols - Aus Rank 18th - NSW
- Paul Reid - Aus Rank 23rd - NSW
- Robert Macauley - Aus Rank 3rd - SA
- John Hutchinson - Aus Rank 11th - QLD
- Greg Siegele - Aus Rank 10th - SA
- Rob Singh - Aus Rank 17th - QLD
- Matthew Venables - Aus Rank 15th - NSW
- Brian Schleibs - Aus Rank 25th - VIC
- Michi Henning - Aus Rank 46th - QLD
- Stacey Borg - Aus Rank 35th - VIC
- Jasen Mouritsen - Aus Rank 29th - QLD
- Andrew Ferguson - Aus Rank 19th - NSW
- Wal Dickie - Aus Rank 39th - VIC
- Geoff Wills - Aus Rank 49th - VIC
- Grant Quinn - Aus Rank 33rd - QLD
- Marcus Sezonov - Aus Rank 41st - VIC
- Marc Bell - Aus Rank 20th - NSW
- Nick Hamhougias - Aus Rank 32nd - VIC
- Chris Wade - Aus Rank 61st - QLD
- Alex Nunn - Aus Rank 43rd - VIC
- John Ebejer - Aus Rank 37th - VIC
- David Peck - NZ Rank 1st - Auckland NZ
The Australian Championship Series will kick off on the 10th February at the Thornbury Bowls Club, Melbourne Victoria.