Grayhound has emerged champions of ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 over Vertex in dominating fashion, claiming a 3-1 grand final win and locking in a spot at Pro League Season 18. Despite recently returning from international events and playing with a stand-in, the ‘Hounds made quick work of their domestic rivals.
Grayhound didn’t miss a beat since returning home from their string of international travel for the BLAST Paris Major and IEM Dallas. Having qualified for the playoffs through Stage 1, Grayhound was absent in Stage 2 where opponent e-LEMON-ators awaited them in the semifinals.
Jayden “foggers” Graham and co. weren’t a match for the tenured Grayhound side, despite GH fielding stand-in Patrick “Falcon” Desousa. GH’s super sub got straight to work and finished the series against e-LEMON-ators with the most kills in the server.
On the other side of the playoffs bracket, Vertex met Rooster. Vertex has cemented themselves in the region as a top squad that on occasion can contest with GH, but otherwise is a gatekeeper for the teams below. Rooster on the other hand continues to improve and impress despite setbacks with roster instabilities.
Rooster’s season ended in the semifinals to Vertex after a 16-6 loss on Anubis and a nail-biting overtime loss on Nuke 19-15. Although disappointing for Rooster who turned their ANZ Champs season around in Stage 2, it was good news for Vertex who now had a crack at the Pro League spot on offer in the final.
With Grayhound and Vertex heading into the best-of-five final, Vertex would have their work cut out for them in order to get over GH who have benefited from their recent months overseas and the experience that comes with that.
In the finals, Grayhound was able to edge out the win, but not without a fight from Vertex. GH set the tone for the series and reminded Vertex that they are ‘Number 1’ in Australia with a 16-5 win on Vertigo.
Vertex replied on Inferno with the entire squad having a great showing to take the map 16-13 and tie up the best-of-five series at 1-1. With Anubis and Mirage up next, Grayhound edged out the series and prevented the final map Nuke, pocketing both maps 16-13.
With their third-straight ANZ Champs title under their belt, Grayhound books the sole qualification spot into ESL Pro League Season 18. For GH this will be another opportunity to build on the recent overseas results and again face up against the world’s best teams.
For Vertex and the other squads who missed out on the spot, there will be an Oceanic qualifier for Pro League after the player break in July.
ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 Schedule & Results
ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 featured two stages that were both double-elimination brackets, with all matches Bo3. In Stage 1, the top two squads advanced directly to playoffs and the remaining six teams proceeded to Stage 2.
Stage 2 introduced two more teams following a last-chance qualifier and once again, only the top two teams advanced from this stage to round out the playoff bracket.
ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 — Stage 1 Schedule & Results
| Match | Teams | Time (AEST) |
| Opening Round | ||
| Monday, Mar 27 | Vertex 2-1 Sunday School | 5pm |
| Grayhound 2-0 Stirlz’s Angels | 9pm | |
| Tuesday, Mar 28 | e-LEMON-ators 2-1 Rooster | 5pm |
| The Big Dogs 2-0 Encore | 8:40pm | |
| Upper Bracket Semifinals | ||
| Wednesday, Mar 29 | Vertex 2-0 e-LEMON-ators | 5pm |
| Grayhound 2-0 The Big Dogs | ||
| Lower Bracket Round 1 | ||
| Tuesday, Apr 11 | Sunday School 2-0 Rooster | 6pm |
| Stirlz’s Angels 0-2 Encore | 9:15pm | |
| Lower Bracket Quarterfinal | ||
| Wednesday, Apr 12 | Encore 2-0 e-LEMON-ators | 6pm |
| The Big Dogs 2-0 Sunday School | 8:30pm | |
| Upper Bracket Final | ||
| Thursday, Apr 13 | Vertex 0-2 Grayhound | 6pm |
| Lower Bracket Semifinal | ||
| Encore 2-0 The Big Dogs | 8:30pm | |
| Lower Bracket Final | ||
| Friday, Apr 14 | Encore 0-2 Vertex | 6pm |
| Grand Final | ||
| Grayhound 2-1Vertex | 8:50pm |
ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 — Stage 2 Schedule & Results
| Match | Teams | Time (AEST) |
| Opening Round | ||
| Monday, May 22 | Sunday School 2-0 DXA | 6pm |
| Mindfreak 0-2 e-LEMON-ators | 9:10pm | |
| Tuesday, May 23 | Rooster 2-0 Stirlz’s Angels | 6pm |
| The Big Dogs 2-0 Antic | 8:10pm | |
| Upper Bracket Semifinals | ||
| Wednesday, May 24 | Sunday School 2-0 e-LEMON-ators | 6pm |
| The Big Dogs 0-2 Rooster | 9pm | |
| Lower Bracket Round 1 | ||
| Thursday, May 25 | DXA 0-2 Mindfreak | 6pm |
| Antic 2-1 Stirlz Angels | 8:45pm | |
| Lower Bracket Quarterfinal | ||
| Wednesday, June 7 | e-LEMON-ators 2-0 Antic | 6pm |
| The Big Dogs 2-1 Mindfreak | 8:30pm | |
| Upper Bracket Final | ||
| Thursday, June 8 | Rooster 2-0 Sunday School | 6pm |
| Lower Bracket Semifinal | ||
| Thursday, June 8 | e-LEMON-ators 2-0 The Big Dogs | 8:45pm |
| Lower Bracket Final | ||
| Friday, June 9 | Sunday School 0-2 e-LEMON-ators | 6pm |
| Grand Final | ||
| Friday, June 9 | Rooster 2-1 e-LEMON-ators | 9pm |
ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 — Playoffs Schedule & Results
| Match | Teams | Time (AEST) | ||
| Semi Final | ||||
| Saturday, June 10 | Grayhound 2-0 e-LEMON-ators | 5pm | ||
| Rooster 0-2 Vertex | 7:30pm | |||
| Grand Final | ||||
| Sunday, June 11 | Grayhound 3-1 Vertex | 5pm |
ESL ANZ Champs Season 16 Rosters
Three squads entered the tournament via the Last Chance Qualifier.
DXA, Mindfreak, and Antic were the three teams added to ANZ Champs for Stage 2, filling the two additional slots and replacing the slot left by Encore’s departure from the event following Stage 1.
Vertex and Grayhound remained unchanged in the event outside of Falcon subbing in for the playoffs.
| Team | Squad | ||||
| Grayhound Gaming | Sico | Liazz | aliStair | Vexite | INS |
| Vertex Esports Club | BRACE | ADDICT | pz | HaZR | malta |
| The Big Dogs | SkulL | Omichella | N1ghtraid | forevint | nauh |
| Mindfreak | isa1ah | Word | chief | tucks | Forleks |
| e-LEMON-ators | apocdud | SaVage | viridian | foggers | damyo |
| Sunday School | rekonz | supar | versa | guag | nexar |
| Rooster | chelleos | ADK | nettik | asap | TjP |
| Stirlz’s Angels | ObZen | Drox | ToM | callum_murray | gump |
| DXA Esports | Kiyo | NeoAgricola | bebest | lucas | Roflko |
| Antic Esports | Noisia | James | jokes | RaZ | kyson |
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- Source: https://snowballesports.com/2023/06/12/esl-anz-champs-season-16-grayhound-vertex-claim-victories-early-in-stage-1/
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