I said that a clearer picture would be painted after Week 3’s action. However, with the top six only being separated by two points heading into Six Masters Week 4, I couldn’t have been further from the truth.
One thing has been made abundantly clear. Kanga has been left in the dust, wallowing in eighth without a win on the board. But that’s where it ends.
Wildcard dropped a map to LFO, bringing them closer to the chasing pack. Okami bottled a chance to join them at the top. The Knights asserted their way into the playoffs race with a 2-0 thumping of Kanga. And while Ferox sits in seventh with two wins, they are still an outsider.
This makes Week 4 awfully tricky to predict. With a couple of key matches that could impact the playoffs race on the horizon, it’s unclear whether one team will prevail, or whether we’d be left waiting another week for some more certainty.
To help break down this week’s action, I’ve once again enlisted the help of the Snowball Esports Six Masters panel:
- James “Devmarta” Stewart: Caster
- Michael “Guzz” Gurrie: Caster
- Brandon “Raven” Langiano: Caster
- Alex “Skye” McCallum: Observer
- Jess “Jess” Bolden: Analyst
While this piece will be an overview of our general predictions for the week, we will also have our own tips running alongside these. Be sure to check out Snowball Esports’ Twitter this afternoon for the full rundown.
Elevate vs. Ferox
Prediction: Elevate 2-0
This series has been marked as Elevate’s to lose. A 2-0 here will put them comfortably in the driver’s seat to finish their Six Masters campaign on a high.
Dgtl and GodLgn have proven week after week that they are here to play, and if the rest of the roster lights up, then they’ll easily show why they finished second in Pro League.
However, I have a sneaky feeling we are going to see a Ferox like no other this week, given their top four chances are on the line. This team has proven they can be a real top four threat at times, and if they can show up consistently across both maps, they have a real chance of surprising everyone.
Ferox have the real potential to throw a spanner into Elevate’s playoffs hopes. Ferox, after all, was only one round away from taking away Consulate from Wildcard — and if it wasn’t from a backbreaking effort from Ethan, they might have done so.
Even taking one map could put the breaks on the Elevate train, and two might see the two team’s fortunes reversed. While a 2-0 is expected in Elevate’s favour, don’t be surprised if Ferox put up a fight.
LFO vs. Pittsburgh Knights
Prediction: Split between LFO 2-0 and 1-1 draw
This is probably the most explosive match of the week. If you caught either Knights or LFO’s post-game interviews on the tailend of last week’s action, you’d have heard the smack talk between the two.
This is the battle to show who’s worthy of being “Tier 1,” and at the end of the day, worthy of a top four spot in Six Masters. LFO have certainly proven they are more than just “that Open Qualifier team” after taking maps off Wildcard, Elevate, and Okami, while the Knights are riding high on the back of a Kanga thrashing in Week 3.
“The win against Kanga definitely has given us a huge drive to continue our positive results in the coming games and we will be working hard as our game against LFO looms.”
Scott “Arlo” Davies, Knights
However, when you look at the schedule these two teams have had to now, LFO has definitely drawn the short stick. They’ve faced off against top four Pro League teams, while the Knights have fallen short against the likes of SiNister, and even dropped a map to Ferox. While they had to contend with a late roster change, they’ve had the easier run.
Our experts have tipped that LFO has the edge — but barely. Their rough schedule speaks volumes about their performance, and if they can bring the same exciting Siege to the Knights, they have a real chance of locking away their first 2-0 of Six Masters.
Kanga vs. Wildcard
Prediction: Wildcard 2-0
First versus last. That says all you really need to know about Kanga vs Wildcard. Well, almost everything.
It was pretty obvious based on Spruce’s interview on Tuesday that Kanga’s morale was shot after their devastating loss to the Knights last week. They only managed to pick up four rounds across two maps combined, with nothing seemingly going their way. They lost their heads-up gunfights, their attacks were shut down early, and their defenses dismantled.
Wildcard were also looking a bit down after their showing on Club House against LFO. Dropping five rounds on defense to lose your win streak is one way to blow one’s mental to pieces.
Regardless of the fact this series being the top team versus the bottom, both teams have a lot to prove. Wildcard will be out with vengeance, while Kanga will be looking for an upset of David-and-Goliath proportions. If Kanga can put up a fight, this will make for an interesting battle, but odds are slim.
SiNister vs. Okami
Prediction: Draw 1-1
SiNister vs Okami is, at least to me, the match of the week. Both teams sit neck and neck on the ladder, with only one win separating Okami in third from SiNister in fourth.
Okami looked to finally be finding some form against Ferox, until it all came crashing down at the tail end of Coastline. A second-half capitulation led to a Ferox sweep in overtime to split the points, and would have inevitably had Okami scratching their heads about how another map slipped through their fingers.
SiNister have been on the up and up since their Week 1 woes against Wildcard. While Elevate put them back in their place on Kafe, they still had some star performers like Milostka, who fragged out with two aces in Week 3.
If SiNister can take the win against Okami, you could pretty much pencil them in for playoffs. The same goes for an Okami 2-0. However, a draw here — like the experts have predicted — will leave both teams’ playoff chances in jeopardy for another week. If you watch one series this week though, make it this one.
Week 4 of Six Masters kicks off on Tuesday, May 19, with Elevate vs Ferox at 7pm AEST. You can catch the action on the official Rainbow Six channel.
Be sure to follow Snowball Esports on Twitter for all your Six Masters content throughout the season, including tips, analysis, and interviews.
