We’re so close to IEM Sydney 2019 you can almost taste the lager, and the excitement is pretty much reaching fever pitch. With Astralis not in attendance, there is a wide open competition packed with world-class teams, and we could have a really amazing event thanks in part to the absence of the world’s best. One of the main contenders is Renegades, the Oceania mix that have risen so dramatically through the rankings, and we think they are one to watch, for a variety of reasons, going into the event. So, without further ado, here are five reasons RNG could win IEM Sydney 2019.
Big Brains Trust
The quest for a great in-game leader is currently leading many a team a merry dance, but Renegades somehow managed to find one in the shape of AZR. That may only be half the story though, as their rise has also coincided with the return of Kassad, one of the most travelled and proven coaches in CSGO. This combination has allowed them to not just win games on talent, but also provided them with a real tactical base to fall back on, something the likes of FaZe, MIBR and others seem to lack at times.
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Gratisfaction
In a world where ZywOo, s1mple, dev1ce and even kennyS are banging heads, it’s not easy to get attention as an AWP player these days, especially if you don’t have a superfan in the ranks of the analysts, but the New Zealander is managing just fine. Opinions on his facial hair will continue to divide the fans, but you can’t argue with his results, and being able to match up with a FalleN, GuardiaN or w0xic is going to be key to RNG’s success.
Home crowd
No shoeys, said Carmac, but that has never stopped the Aussies before. One of the most famous moments from last year’s event was the shoey of defiance, and the crowd down under do support in just about the perfect way. Vocal, positive, and always good-humoured, the IEM Sydney audience is one of the best in all of CS, and if the RNG boys make it deep you can expect some of the best lives scenes in all of 2019 from the Aussies.
JKS
Every team needs a star that wants to win as a team, as we can see from the best years of SK, and the current Astralis line-up. The problem Renegades have is that their best games tend to coincide with JKS going off, so they need to find a plan B, but if plan A works out there may be no need to have a fallback. The team’s highest rated player over the last three months, he’s proven he can hang with the best of the best, and could announce himself as a true world star in Sydney.
No Fear
In recent months, in various venues around the world, Renegades have managed win over FaZe, MIBR, and NRG, as well as the likes of Fnatic and Ninjas In Pyjamas, so they know they’ve got what it takes to beat those groups anyway. Recent wins over Team Liquid are less easy to come by, but as we all know all you need to do is get the Americans in a final and they’ll crumble like a cookie made of chalk.
Image: IEM
