Wasa Royals look to spoil Seinäjoki Crocodiles’ playoff push in Maple League clash

The Wasa Royals (2-6) welcome the Seinäjoki Crocodiles (5-3) Saturday with the Royals playing their final home game of the Finnish Maple League season and the Crocodiles looking to strengthen their position heading toward the playoffs.

Royals playing for pride

The postseason is no longer within reach for Wasa, but the Royals still have plenty to play for as they try to climb out of the bottom of the standings.

Their biggest challenge will be finding enough production on the ground. Injuries have stripped away several ball carriers, leaving Aaron Luomala and Samu Hautala to handle much of the workload against a Seinäjoki defense that has surrendered the fewest yards in the league.

That puts even more pressure on the Royals to protect the football and keep drives alive against one of the Maple League’s toughest defensive units.

Crocodiles eye postseason position

The Crocodiles enter the weekend sitting at 5-3 and battling for third or fourth place after back-to-back losses to the Kuopio Steelers.

Seinäjoki can no longer secure home-field advantage for the semifinals, but there is still postseason positioning at stake with two regular-season games remaining. After visiting Wasa, the Crocodiles close against the Helsinki Roosters on August 29.

They will also add two familiar faces for the stretch run. Receiver Joel Särkelä and linebacker Aki Seppälä return to the lineup and must appear in the final two regular-season games to become eligible for the playoffs.

The Crocodiles come in with more at stake in the standings, but the Royals can play loose in their home finale. With nothing to protect and one last opportunity to deliver a victory to their home crowd, Wasa has every reason to make Seinäjoki work for it.