The development of the Potsdam Royals is amazing. It all started in Potsdam in 2005 with a couple of football freaks who founded a club. A year later he entered league operations and four years ago he was finally promoted to the top German football league, the German Football League (GFL). Despite the young history, the Potsdam team can already boast two titles: four years ago, Potsdam won the European Football League as a complete rookie and did it again a year later.
What is still missing is the German title. Jens-Torsten Müller has been there since the beginning and was President of the Royals for two years and thinks that the journey will continue with participation in the German Bowl: “I am living a season like I have never experienced it before. The team has more than deserved this final. Now we want to take the next step and bring the German Bowl to Potsdam, “says Müller.
After the best season in their history, the Royals entered the German Bowl for the first time in the history of the club, the German counterpart of the Super Bowl in the United States, now in its 43rd edition. The grand final of German football will take place on Saturday (18:00, Sport 1) at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt, which is actually home to Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt. There the Potsdamers meet the champions of the south, the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns.
We have aligned our work with this goal since preseason.
Michael Vogt
Participation in the final is the result of an excellent season, says coach Michael Vogt, in which the goal from the start was not only to reach the German Bowl, but also to win it. “We are moving towards the finish line. We have been orienting our work towards this goal since preseason,” says Vogt.
Victory in the playoff semifinals
Two weeks ago, the Potsdam team impressively defeated the Cologne Crocodiles 49:21 in the GFL semi-finals in front of their home crowd at the Luftschiffhafen stadium. Previously they had won all the games in the GFL’s northern group. This makes them one of only two teams in the league to achieve that feat in the regular season. The other team is, how could it be otherwise, the opponents of the final on Saturday night: the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns.
Although it is Potsdam’s first ever participation in the German Bowl, the Unicorns will be in attendance for the tenth time, four times was enough for the grand coup. Schwäbisch Hall were last in the final a year ago, but had to admit defeat against the Dresden monarchs. As a result, they should be motivated to win for the fifth time this year.
They also passed the Royals en route to the final last year, so this isn’t the teams’ first meeting. The playoff victory went only to the Unicorns, who prevailed 28:18. “After last year we knew we were at the top and now we are in the final. We will do everything we can to make our championship dream come true, “says Vogt, who is now on the big stage with his team.has a chance to take revenge.
In an exciting semi-final marked by penalties, the Potsdam team lost both running back and quarterback. Once again Potsdam will have to do without his regular quarterback. Chris Helbig injured his hand in the last game against Cologne and it is unlikely he will be available on Saturday. In his place, Robert Patterson led Potsdamer against the Crocodiles to victory in the semifinal. “Chris’ absence is tragic, but Robbie also did an exceptional job. We can rely on him,” praised Müller, who was delighted after the win.
The Unicorns prevailed in the semi-finals with the same confidence as the Royals. Coach Jordan Neumann’s team beat Allgäu Comets 33: 8. Schwäbisch Hall convinced with an effective style of play in attack around former NFL player Moritz Böhringer and showed a concentrated defensive performance. With an average of 14.8 points conceded per game, the Unicorns defense is by far the best in the league.
Good from the point of view of the Royals, who provide the best offensive in the league. In the season so far, Potsdam has impressed with an average of 52.4 points per game, an absolute value. Coach Vogt’s team has also improved in defense recently and only had to pocket the first points in the second half of the semifinals. So on Saturday in Frankfurt the best defense plays against the best attack in the league and both teams have not lost once this season. It should be a completely open duel for the German championship.
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