Invitations to the 6th Annual NZ WHFB Masters

So the invites for the Masters went out on Friday evening and it will be interesting to see how the final field shapes up. The organisers have to put together a field of 12 players for the event.

Last year’s winner automatically gets an invite so in addition, only the Top 11 Ranked Players qualify automatically. The automatic invites therefore are:

Current Masters Champion – Tom Dunn

#1 – Pete Dunn

#2 – Ross Hillier-Jones

#3 – Dan Butler

#4 – Sam Whitt

#5 – Ryan Simister

#6 – Sam Campbell

#7 – Mal Patel

#8 – Peter Williamson

#9 – Hamish Gordon

#10 – James “The Unluckiest Man in Warhammer” Brown

#11 – Rory Finnemore

As Ryan Simister is currently overseas, his invite has passed down to #12 Richard Barby. These people received their invite on Friday and have a few days to make their decision.

So will any of these be forfeited? Well, Air New Zealand are doing their best to dissuade the Dunns with their ludicrously high fares. RHJ and Dan butler live in the area so you’ve got to expect that disorientation of their competition who are used to civilisation will be seen as a big factor in them accepting. Sam Whitt is travelling north with Peter Williamson (and associated groupie). However Peter can choose to win the Warmachine Masters or be an also-ran in fantasy and that may influence his decision. The Kapiti Fun-Bus is travelling north – 2 gamers, 22 Trolls and 20 Beasts of Nurgle – leaving only three other automatics. I’m guessing Mal will decline his invite as he realises this is a bit different from clubbing southern seals. Auckland’s “Finest” James, Rory and Richard will all accept there invites.

By my reckoning that means between two and four invites will be forfeited. So what happens?

Should any return their invite then the invitations will go in order to:

#13 – Thomas van Roekel

#14 – Joel van de Ven-Long

#15 – Locky Reid

#16 – Jeff Kent

#17 – Antony Kitson

#18 – John Willenbruch

#19 – James Cardno

#20 – Stuart Robinson

Now Thomas is now residing in the UK so you can count him out. Joel currently is overseas but may be back in time. However traditionally he gets a bit scaredy venturing further north than Palmerston. Locky is a finishing student and really should be looking for a job however there is a chance he’ll take the risk and jump in Kiwihammer Push-it-Forward bus and tiki tour north.

Jeff Kent. Well you wouldn’t have to ask this boy twice. He has assumed the Hagen Kerr role attending the Masters to hang out with the rich and famous. Word is that he has asked Sam Whitt whether there will be a spit roast. Jeff, there are a number of fine eating establishments in Hamilton.

If any invite should get past the grasp of Jeff then there is a bunch or Auckland gamers ready to pounce. Stu Robinson, your chances of an invite are more modest than Len Brown’s sense of responsibility.