BAFANL: Week 2 National Division Power Rankings

1. Farnham Knights
Farnham haven’t played a game yet this year but they stay atop the rankings on potential. We have to see them in action before we can move them down.

2. Leicester Falcons
Not as convincing a win as we expected here at DC but a 34-26 win over an improved Crewe Railroaders side is a good start for the Falcons. This weekend’s game against the Manchester Titans will be the one to judge on where this team has leveled off following last year’s upheavals. Still it’s enough to keep them 2nd on our Power Rankings for another week.

3. Gateshead Senators
A win for the Senators in a low scoring game was exactly what DC Towers predicted last week and that’s what we got! A 13-7 victory over the Clyde Valley Blackhawks team that decimated the Edinburgh Wolves (who drop clean out of our Power Rankings) the week before is a good result for the North East team. They rise one place in our Power Rankings at the expense of the Milton Keynes Pathfinders who drop after a disappointing defeat to the Watford Cheetahs.

4. Manchester Titans
What a win. We knew this Titans team had improved vastly over the winter, with new players and a new coaching regime under Britball legend Nigel Dias. Double Coverage writer Nathan James Sharrocks covered that extensively in an article not a few months ago. But we didn’t expect a 54-0 shutout against the Lincolnshire Bombers side that has greatly improved recently and that pushed the Shropshire Revolution all the way last week.

It’s enough for a four place rise and enough to leapfrog the Revolution. As said above this weekend’s fixture against Leicester will gauge Manchester’s season better but they should be proud of such a good result.

5. Oxford Saints
The Saints too haven’t played a game yet this year. They’re a tough team to weigh up. They tailed off at the end of last season and we hear differing reports of players and coaches leaving and retiring but until they have played the talent they showed last year is what they shall be judged on. They stay 5th.


6. Solent Thrashers
Another 0-game team. Enough to stave off the Revolution, who’ve made a bright start to the season, until they take the field at least.

7. Shropshire Revolution
Currently 2-0, the Revolution may feel aggrieved that they haven’t moved up in the rankings. They put 40 points on the improved Lincolnshire Bombers and 26 on last year’s whipping boys, the Staffordshire Surge. But on the other hand they conceded 34 points in those two games, to two teams that were a division below last year.

I watched several Revolution games live last year and was impressed by them on both sides of the ball. Despite not winning many games they showed potential. This year I am so far unsold that they have progressed more. With no disrespect to Staffordshire or Lincolnshire, it will be interesting to see them up against the likes of Leicester and Manchester.

8. Bedfordshire Blue Raiders 
Look good, play good! The 2&0 Blue Raiders are loving playing in their new uniforms it seems. First they beat the Essex Spartans 6-0 before laying the Maidstone Pumas to waste in a 52-0 shutout.

Without conceding a point yet, could it be Bedfordshire’s year?

9. Watford Cheetahs
A huge win for the Cheetahs! We had the MK Pathfinders in the upper echelons of the Power Rankings before the Cheetahs caused, what we’d consider, an upset and knocked them straight out.

The Pathfinders went straight to the playoffs last year but may find trouble in a tough division this year whilst the Cheetahs certainly look to have improved over the winter break.

10. Kent Exiles
Again, the Exiles are yet to play a game. They’re fending off the Bristol Apache, Swindon Storm and DC Presidents (who are yet to play a game but have vastly improved over the winter and impressed massively in a preseason friendly against the Premiership Yorkshire Rams). But it would only be fair that Kent keep their spot as other teams ahead have done until they have taken to the field.