NRG release dummy, fly in Snow to trial

NRG Esports have parted ways with longstanding flex support player Tim "dummy" Olson. Sources close to the troubled Overwatch team confirmed that Olson was dropped from the roster last week and trials to find his replacement are ongoing.

His departure marks the end of an era for NRG. Of the original six that signed in August 2016, none now remain in active duty. Brandon "Seagull" Larned remains contracted with the organisation and may yet fulfil the prophecies to one day return to competition. However, dummy's NRG journey ends here, unfairly demonized by many fans and departing as a free agent.

The curious case of NRG has been well documented. The perennial underperformers have burned through a wealth of talented players on the hunt for a podium finish, something that has eluded them since October 2016 when they took 3rd-4th at the APAC Premier.

Yet, with every change it seems that NRG's results have only gotten progressively worse. The roster has been in a state of flux since Seagull stood down in April. We've seen the advent of Coach Seamoose, the arrival of Derrick Truong fresh from overseeing TSM's failed Overwatch project, and the subsequent departure of Ajax. Not to mention a laundry list of try-outs...

In April's Rivalcade Rumble we had ultimawep. In May it was Ube for the CyberPowerPC Invitational, then Grego and Graceful for the Monthly Melee. Most recently, YouMustHooey lined out for them with Grego in the ill-fated Contenders qualification campaign that saw NRG eliminated by ex-teammates FNRGFE and then EnVision. Alas, none of them could break the NRG curse.

As it stands, there are three players on NRG's starting roster, but the departure of dummy has kickstarted a new period of intense try-outs. Aythen (ex-Immortals), b1am (ex-Kungarna/TSM) and sleepy (ex-Tempo) have all featured in the vacant flex support slot in scrims. Former Rise Nation support, Phaz, seems to be the only candidate currently under consideration for the Lucio slot. His Rise brother-in-arms, xRetzi, has been spotted doing work on Soldier 76, and prior to that they had played with Snow, formerly of Method.

Interestingly, over.gg have learned that NRG are actually flying Gabriel "Snow" Ceregatto from his native Brazil to their team house in the Las Vegas for an extensive in-person assessment in the coming days. Whilst the immaculately coiffured Snow had won many fans at ELEAGUE's Ovewatch Open, he had fallen off most people's radars since departing Method in December. In the following months he had competed in the Brazilian scene with Keep Gaming, but in the last week he has parted ways with the org. Now, he could potentially be returning to the limelight under the guidance of his former Method coach, Seamoose.

The names listed above are only those that have been confirmed by our sources as being recently under consideration, but with the deep pockets of NRG and nothing but time on their hands, there is no telling who will being donning those red and black shirts in 2017.

For now, the active NRG Esports roster is: