Mid Season Review: SEC

The Hurricanes have had somewhat of a dream start to the season. They aren’t going to end up with the top scoring offence (I would imagine that accolade will belong to Stirling), and are looking a little leakier than usual on the defensive side. One big pro for the Canes is that they have played 5 games before Christmas. Given the previous year’s weather problems, this could be a massive benefit for the team in fulfilling all their fixtures and also keeping them fresh into their undoubted playoff run.

Believe it or not the second half of the season could be described as the hard part. With Greenwich likely to be a walkover, the other two games are against the other two undefeated teams in the division UEA and Kent. With UEA most likely giving them the toughest test in week 9. The Canes are looking on course to enter the playoffs as one of the top two seeds in the south, and making a deep playoff run, hopefully culminating (for them at least) in a repeat.

January 13th MAC Prediction.

FOOTBALL IS BACK (kind of)!!!

This weekend the 0-4 Falcons face off with the 0-2 Wildcats in an encounter both sides will be viewing as their best (and possibly only) chance of grabbing a W this season.

Early January games often suffer from a lack of players due to people not being back at Uni (not to mention the threat of exams looming for some students), so should both squads boast enough number to get this game played it should be an intriguing matchup between two of the lowliest teams in the BUAFL spectrum.

Despite having 3 more losses than their counterparts De Montfort are slight favourites, having played Loughborough and NTU in predicatable defeats plus two games against the distinctly average Coventry Jets. Wolverhampton meanwhile have been much maligned for a multitude of postponements (with only a single 20-0 loss to Lincoln on record) so it’s good to see them making efforts to get their games rearranged. Despite that we can’t see them managing a result against the more experienced DMU side, and it will likely be a low-scoring slug-fest throughout with neither side managing to get their offences going .

Dbl Coverage prediction – DMU 12-0 Wolverhampton.

GB Junior Open Practice dates announced

Yesterday, BAFA announced the details for the GB Junior trials:

GB Lions Juniors announcing the first of a series of open practices for 2013.

There will be 4 one day practices that are open to all.

These will be called ‘Open Practices’ and essential a combination of ‘tryout’ and ‘practices’ for an international match later in the year.  Players with a serious interest in making the squad should attempt to attend all camps.  The Open Practices will be used to determine the list for invites to the GB Camps at the end of the year, in preparation for the friendly game and 2014 competition.

Lions Head Coach Damian Anderson, explained “The benefit of the open practice sessions is twofold – The GB staff get to see as many players as possible in game situations..” “…whilst the players get to compete alongside the best players in the country and take advantage of a strong coaching staff, looking to improve grassroots football skills…”.

The practices will be spread throughout the country to give as many young players as possible access to international quality coaching, we highly recommend that Junior players attend even if they don't have intentions of representing their country quite yet as it will be a great opportunity to get on the radar for future years and improve football skills.

Big Board Power Rankings Part Five, Rankings 21-30

It doesn't matter who we are...what matters is our plan. No one cared who we were until we put the rankings up.

After a day break, our rankings are back and ready to cause debates from the BAFA offices all the way to drunken students arguing that their team is better than the kebab they’re about to destroy after a night out.

We’re now moving into the 20’s where we meet the bottom five teams of the official Double Coverage power rankings, the most unbiased rankings in the world...We also meet the five teams who just missed out on the official rankings.

Now loyal readers, it’s time for you to procrastinate from the exam revision and read our rankings! It’s back to the Uni work as soon as you’re done though!

Rapid growth of football in Poland continues in 2013

74 teams in 5 classes of play set to take the field

Author: Alex Zarganis, a.zarganis@plfa.pl, PLFA Press Bureau

The results of the December meetings of each of the five divisions of the Polish League of American Football (PLFA) were recently announced, with further expansion emerging as their main focus. Among the major announcements was the formation of a new junior league, PLFA J.

The eighth season of American football in Poland will begin during the weekend of March 23-24, 2013 and the PLFA SuperFinal VIII is scheduled for the weekend of July 13-14.

A trio of clubs, the Wrocław Giants, Warsaw Spartans and the Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex, will join the elite Topliga this year, bringing the total number of teams in Poland's top division to eight. The teams will be divided into two groups according to location, while the regular season schedule for each team will be made up of 10 games. The two best teams from each group will play in the semifinals, while the winners of those two games will meet in PLFA SuperFinal VIII.