Premiership North Power Rankings

1. East Kilbride Pirates
The Pirates have yet to play in 2013, opening their campaign with a trip down to Coventry on Saturday. The new-look Jets will be a challenge for the strength of the Pirates' travelling squad, but we expect them to still be sat in the #1 spot on these rankings come next week.

2.  Tamworth Phoenix
Well, that was pretty routine. Tamworth dispatched Lancashire with consummate ease on Sunday, recording a shut-out and notching a handsome 46 points in the process. Make no mistake, these boys are intent on pulling up a few trees in this expanded Premier Division, and head up to Yorkshire looking to make it 2-0 for the season


3. Doncaster Mustangs
Just like that, the Mustangs are 3-0. Two pretty straightforward wins against Nottingham were followed up with a 28-6 defeat of the Yorkshire Rams at the weekend, taking their "Points For" column past 100 points and setting an early landmark. Tamworth and East Kilbride should be above them in the final standings, but this is one solid football team.

4.  Yorkshire Rams
A loss to your biggest rivals isn't a great way to start the season, but Yorkshire were competitive for most of the game against Doncaster and won't be too downhearted as they travel to Tamworth on Sunday. Their new-look offence will be hoping to spark early against another of the league's early pace setters

5.Birmingham Bulls
It may have been low-scoring, low-profile affair, but the Bulls got the job done despite the long trip north. Their 3-0 win over West Coast wouldn't send any teams running scared just yet, but it does show that, if nothing else, Birmingham will be a tough and competitive outfit in 2013.

6. Coventry Jets
Joe Who? Britball veteran Stuart Franklin proved to be a more than adequate replacement for Germany-bound Joe Brammer as he accounted for all of the Jets' points against Nottingham. The rumored arrival of Franklin's former Leicester team mate, running back Timi Dada, will only strengthen Coventry further.

7. West Coast Trojans
Being shut-out at home is never a good look and the Trojans will be smarting as they look to start afresh when they trek down to Sheffield on Sunday. The Trojans have lost several key players from last year and a season of consolidation could be on the cards

8. Lancashire Wolverines
Well and truly hammered by Tamworth at the weekend, Lancashire have a while to mull over their next move before they travel to Birmingham in late May. Turnovers were a blight in this weekend's loss, and eliminating these will instantly upgrade the Wolverines offence.

9. Sheffield Predators
Up one due to the Caesars' woeful start, Sheffield begin their own campaign with a home game against West Coast this weekend. A win for the Predators would be a surprise, but don't count it out.

10. Nottingham Caesars
So bad has the start of the Caesars season been, they have dropped below a team that has yet to play. The heavy defeats against Doncaster were expected, this weekend's loss against Coventry less so. With just two touchdowns in the three games, a long season beckons.