Hey there, Pokémon trainers and TCG enthusiasts! It's your Brisbane Pokémon TCG blogger reporting live from the scorching hot Centurion Challenge in Brisbane, QLD. Seriously, the only thing hotter than the weather was Harry's Charizard deck—spicy, like a vindaloo in the Outback.
Now, Gus, we heard you were sipping coconut water on some beach instead of battling it out at the Centurion. Harry had to carry the torch for Team Raptor Juniors, and let me tell you, he brought the heat! It was only his second premier event representing Team Raptor, and he snagged a solid 2nd place! Charizard wasn't the only one making opponents sweat; Harry was probably fanning himself with those fiery wings after his performance. Big congrats to Lucan for sliding into 1st place!... We see you, Lucan....
KJ, my man, tried out a new Gholdengo deck, but the only thing it brought was a bit of disappointment. Don't worry, KJ, we all have those experimental days. However, he managed to grab the gold for the Seniors! It's like the deck was saying, "I may not win your heart, but I'll win the age division!"
Now, onto the mastermind himself, Coach Edin. Testing out Gholdengo, he was practically Scrooge McDuck swimming in golden wins. Facing off against a Charizard/Pidgey build in Round 1, he made it clear that attacking Charizard for 350 damage is just plain insane. I mean, who knew Charizard could break a sweat?
Round 2, we had Voltorb/Klawf where all attack damage and HP was outside the normal range for most meta decks, it was a match so janky it felt like watching a Kangaskhan dance-off. But Edin came out on top, proving that sometimes unconventional is the way to go. Round 3, Lost Box, was wild! Edin's tech Scizor hitting Giratina V for 250 damage turn 2? Talk about making an entrance!
And then, the highlight of the day—Urshifu/Inteleon in Round 4. Game 1, he knocked out not one but two Vmax's. Game 2, well, Medicham's Yoga Loop caused a hiccup, but let's just say Coach Edin was zen about it. The last game ended in a draw, but that's all he needed to clinch the win for the masters! Coach Edin, you're the real MVP. He's well on his way to a Worlds invite!
Team Raptor, conquered the Centurion Challenge in style, proving once again that working as a team, collaborating, brainstorming and having fun, is what wins at the end of the day. This game may appear to be simple however many hours behind the coaching sessions and events, go into analysing decks, calculating probabilities, reviewing recent premier event statistics and building mental resilience. Those who are part of Team Raptor are very fortunate to have Coach Edin to help guide them on this journey.
Until next time, keep shuffling and slinging those cards!