On the weekend of 27th–28th September 2025, 25 coaches gathered at The Ashbridge Inn in Cwmbran for the latest instalment of the Dead Pancreas Society tournament series: The Jeffers Strikes Back.
This wasn’t just about dice, touchdowns, and tactical fouls – the event was held to raise awareness of diabetes, with organiser Brian Treherne once again leading the charge. Brian’s son, Ian, lives with the condition and has become part of the local Blood Bowl community, where he’s been welcomed as “one of the guys.”
The much-loved tournament mascot, Jeffers the Gonk, comes from Ian’s childhood nickname during hypos, short for hypoglycemia, a dangerously low blood glucose level that can cause confusion, dizziness, and even unconsciousness if not treated quickly. Rather than let it be something frightening, the family lightened the moment by calling him “Jeffers” during hypos, and the community embraced the character as a fun, chaotic part of the tournament.
What Made It Special
Each coach received:
- 6 games of Blood Bowl (3 Saturday, 3 Sunday)
- 4 jelly babies (energy for coaches and dice gods alike)
- A lucky blue gem
- And of course… Jeffers the Gonk
And Jeffers wasn’t just a name. Thanks to the house rule, after kick-off but before each drive, one random player from each team could “hypo” and turn into Jeffers the Gonk. With MA5, ST1, Dodge, Side Step, Stunty, Titchy, Dirty Player +1, Sneaky Git, and No Hands, he brought chaos, comedy, and occasional carnage to the games.
As if that wasn’t enough, “poop chanting” was actively encouraged, because no one takes themselves too seriously at the Dead Pancreas Society!
Building the Teams
Coaches had 1.2 million gold to build their rosters, with 48 SPP to spend on skills however they liked. Stacking was allowed, meaning some players entered the fray with terrifying combos. Star Players were also in play, but with a twist. If both coaches picked the same one, neither got them, as the Star had clearly swindled them both. Classic Jeffers energy!
Full rules can be found here: Dead Pancreas Society Cup The Jeffers Strikes Back – 27th/28th September
Results
After six rounds of hard-fought (and often hilarious) games, here’s how it all shook out:
- 1st Place: Owne Crossweller (Orcster) – Skaven (Quality Squak)
- 2nd Place: Mohammed Javaid (Thatasianguy) – Human (Generic Humans)
- 3rd Place: Morgan (MorgN_Pawl) – Dwarf (I Want Series Most Cas, I Don’t Care How I Do It)
- Most Casualties: Mutlow – Dwarf (Half Heights)
- Most Touchdowns: Orcster – Skaven (Quality Squak)
- Stunty Cup: AndyDavo – Snotling (Silly Question)
- Best Painted: JandyrColdheart – Dwarf (Gimli’s Grudgebearers)
A Community Effort
While the trophies were well-earned, the real victory was in the spirit of the weekend. The Dead Pancreas Society once again showed that Blood Bowl is more than just a game, it’s a community.
Brian’s dedication, Ian’s presence, and the shared laughter over Jeffers the Gonk all combined to make this tournament truly memorable. Every coach played their part, whether competing for the top tables or just rolling dice for fun.
Final Word
The Jeffers Strikes Back was more than a tournament, it was proof of how the Blood Bowl community can rally around a cause, make space for everyone, and still deliver six rounds of brilliant, chaotic games.
Thanks to everyone who attended, rolled dice, brought painted teams, and embraced the spirit of Jeffers. Until next year: keep your dice hot, your jelly babies close, and watch out for that Gonk…
You can find the full stats and match breakdowns here: Tourplay Link
Got a great Jeffers story from the weekend? Share it in the comments below, we’d love to hear how the Gonk turned up in your games!
And finally, a huge thank you to Brian for organising another fantastic event and keeping Jeffers’ spirit alive.
Great weekend and Jeffers played a big part in several games. Morg n Thorg turning into Jeffers and getting KO’d turn 4 and spending the rest of the game in the KO box. My rat ogre turning into Jeffers and fouling Deepeoot who was also Jeffers on turn 1 and getting sent off. Or just my opponents Jeffers fouling any rat lying on the floor lead to absolute carnage. My rats learned to push hard and score fast before they died 😂
Sounds like a fair few key players got Jeffersed in your games (always great to hear!). That would’ve been Andydavo’s Morg and MorgN_Pawl’s Deeproot, I bet that really threw their plans off, especially so early. If ever there was a moment to break into a good old ‘poop chant’, that was it!😆
Great event. Lots of fun games and a little heartbreaking at watching my team be removed from the pitch in 4 games.
Will definitely attend again next year.
Losing half your team in four games and still taking 2nd is seriously impressive, shows you played through the chaos brilliantly.