BAFA Uni Football Week Six Power Rankings

One of the most controversial subjects on Double Coverage are our rankings. 

Every week hoards of people let us know how wrong our rankings are; how Brighton shouldn't there because they are rubbish and how BNU are so much better than their standings. 

The comments do get read and got us thinking about how we could make sure that we are providing an accurate picture of who the best teams in the country are right now.

After a lot of discussion, we have put together a panel of a dozen players, coaches and journalists, each of whom casts a weekly vote to form a better overall representation of the "Top 25" - a true Power Ranking.

Notes
- The number in brackets next to the team name is the number of 1^st place votes they gained.

- The star next to the team names means that they are a consensus pick (chosen by all 12 voters).

1- Birmingham Lions (5-0) (8)*

2- Hertfordshire Hurricanes (5-0) (4)*

3- Loughborough (4-0)*
4- Southampton Stags (5-0)*
5- Stirling Clansmen (4-0)*
6- Derby Braves (5-0)*
7- Hull Sharks (4-0)*
8- Sheffield Sabres (4-0)*
9- Bath Killer Bees (4-0)*

10-UWE Bullets (4-1)*
11-UEA Pirates (4-0)*
12-Portsmouth Destoryers (3-0)*
13-Kent Falcons (4-0)*
14-Plymouth Blitz (3-1)*
15-Kingston Cougars (4-1)*
16-NTU Renegades (3-1)*
17-Leeds Carnegie (3-1)*
18-Solent Redhawks (3-2)
19-Brighton Tsunami (3-0)
20-Glasgow Tigers (3-1)
21-UCLan Rams  (2-0)
22-Warwick Wolves (2-1)
23-Bradford Bears (3-2)
24-Hallam Warriors (1-1)
25-Northampton Nemesis (2-2)

Teams that just missed out:  BNU, Leeds and Gloucester



Analysis 

Some interesting things immediately jump out, most notably at the top. Birmingham have never lost a game with Mr Varney starting and playing all four quarters and this fact obviously held sway with our voters, knocking a largely intact Herts team back to second spot.

Apart from this, no doubt controversial, blip the top 5 rounds out as as expected with the Stirling Clansmen following Loughborough and Southampton as what many consider the "top tier" of teams in the country.

The next big surprise arrives with Derby, taking the number 6 spot over a usually consistent Hull, Sheffield duo. Their efficient passing offence has torn the Big Northwest Conference a new one and they must be glad not to have Loughborough or Birmingham in their future fixtures. However, whoever thought Derby was in the Northwest of the country needs to take a long hard look at themselves (or a map).

A damning vote against the SWACS quality puts their top two teams at 10 and 11 and a surprisingly low position for the 4-0 UEA Pirates confirms that it's not just us that thinks the SEC is a very weak conference this year.

Towards the bottom of the order and away from the consensus picks the only other Saltire team to make the rankings decide to join the party at 20, with the Glasgow Tigers representing their conference at the bottom of the rankings. 

Hallam make a sneak appearance (I think maybe based no past glories) at 24 above a promising Northampton team that raised more than a few eyebrows with their first half performance against Loughborough.

Overall the MAC and TVC represent as the top two conferences with five teams each in the rankings. The Big North West follows along with four and the Big North East, SWAC and SEC follow along with three teams each. The Saltire hold the rest of the divisions up with only two teams present, but one of those is the impressive Stirling Clansmen, who people will be watching closely when it comes to playing in the post season versus stronger teams.