NFFL Week 2 / 3: Preview

Photo: Inside Britball Media

As we enter weeks 2 and 3 for the Premier and Division 1 respectively, we look ahead to what exciting match ups we have in store over the weekend with our NFFL preview.

Premier

The Highlands Premier is an intriguing proposition in that week 1 results suggest this is going to be a tight division and the one to watch this week.  Currently, the Edinburgh Outlaws are on top with a 100% record so far, however, hot on their heels are the Grangemouth Broncos and Glasgow Hornets who tied in their game against each other in week 1. Don’t rule out the 1 – 1 Aberdeen Oilcats either, as all four teams face off against each other in the first round of matches in week 2 it will be sure to be an explosive start to the tournament.  It may prove to be another tough weekend for the Moray Distillers who unfortunately were on the receiving end of 151 points in week 1, they face off against the current top two teams in this week’s matchups. Finally, Renfrewshire Raptors have a chance to catch the two teams above them, the Oilcats and Hornets, which could change the landscape of division. 

In the North, although very early days, after week 1 the 3-0 Manchester Titans are looking strong after convincing wins against three of their five league rivals putting up an impressive average of 46 net points per game. Equally notable, are the Manchester Crows who are also 3-0 in the division.  With both teams facing off against each other in this week it must be considered the game of the tournament. The Wigan Bandits (1-1) will be keen to get off to a good start against the newly promoted Warrington Revolution (0-3) who had a tough time in week 1.  The Manchester Titans Bees and Salford Scorpions will open the tournament where both teams will be looking to improve on their start to the season.

After week 1, the Reading Devils and London Smoke are looking in good shape, boasting a 100 per cent record which they will be keen to maintain in week 2. London Smoke will be playing both of their expansion teams which will likely feel like an inter-club tournament as opposed to a competitive league fixture. The London Spark will be looking to cause an upset in their fixture against the Reading Devils in their top vs bottom clash, and it won’t be lost on them the positive impact that could have on the Smoke’s position in the table.  Quietly going about their business are the Chichester Sharks who are 1-1 for the season so far, who like the London Flash have a chance to change the shape of the table and create a gap between the top and bottom of the table.  Finally, London Spark will be looking to get their offence firing on all cylinders, and they will certainly need to as they are facing off against the current top 3 teams in the league. 

In the Premier South West division, the Cardiff Hurricanes are sitting pretty at the top of what is a very tightly contested division.  The Hurricanes have put up an impressive 130 points against the opposition so far, demonstrating a more than potent offence.  The Cheltenham Neptune’s, Coventry Panthers, Northants Titans, and Keynsham Kings all have one win under their belts, and all seemingly have a balanced offence and defence which, after week 1 promises to be an exciting division to watch.  Even at the bottom of the table, the Coventry Phoenix are no mugs, don’t let the 0-2 record fool you, they put up some good numbers in week one and had a narrow loss to their local rivals Coventry Panthers.  All in all, a great division to watch.

Premier fixtures

Division 1

In Div. 1, most conferences are entering week 3 this weekend and whilst 15 per cent of teams still boast a 100% per cent record, the Swansea Hammerheads in South B are taking care of business in style, leading the assault, boasting a whopping 290 points scored in 5 games. Not to be outdone, the Exeter Falcons have also tipped over the 200 points scored mark but will need to address their defence this week against two teams with only 1 win in the league so far in Swansea Frenzy and Keynsham Kings II.  As we look ahead to the matchups at the weekend, the Swansea Frenzy features in my ‘ones to watch’ this week as they face 3 teams with contrasting forms. First up, an inter-team match-up against the aforementioned Hammerheads, and whilst normal form would dictate a very tough match-up, they will know each other’s strengths and weaknesses which could make interesting watching.  Next up they will face Gwent Gators who are going about their business quietly in mid-table.  Finally, Frenzy will have the chance to create some separation from the bottom when they face off against the Keynsham Kings II.

South A are a week behind having only played Week 1 last time round.  The Buckinghamshire Wolves are looking strong so far averaging only 6.6 points conceded per game, boasting a net points per game of 37.7.  That said, this weekend’s match-up brings some challenging ties for the Wolves where they will face off against 2nd and 3rd places teams in Chichester Sharks B and recently relegated Victoria Park Panthers.  Two teams yet to obtain a win are the Salisbury City Marauders and Berkshire Renegades who will face off against each other this week. With 3 times as many points scored so far, the Salisbury City Marauders should be favourites to take the win, however, will their game against a strong Sharks team have a knock-on effect?

As we make our way northwards, the Midlands Conference looks to be evenly matched so far, however, the Waveney Wolves remain the only undefeated team. Will that change this weekend when they meet 2nd placed Lincolnshire Longhorns? Outside of the top two, all other teams appear to be evenly balanced, all with the ability to put up some good numbers. It will be interesting to see how this weekend’s fixtures change the landscape of this conference.

Continuing our journey north, the North B conference is the only conference with a 100 per cent record team. Going into the week 2 cross-conference games, the Newcastle Blackhawks held the undefeated moniker, however they suffered defeat at the hands of a rampant Nottingham Bears side.  Back to their conference games, the Blackhawks will be keen to get back on track with an opportunity to create some separation at the top when they face off against an equally strong Leeds Samurai team. For Samurai, this week will be a key tournament for them as they face mid-tabled Steel River Stingrays (2-2) and Calderdale Locomotives who are propping up the table with a less-than-ideal start to the season at 0-6. They will want to try and conserve some energy in these games ahead of their match-up against the Blackhawks. Will home advantage and more rest provide a factor for the Blackhawks, or will the Samurai put them to the sword?

In the North A conference, the Border City Centurions are the only undefeated team in what is seemingly very competitive at the top of the table. With a clear gap opening up between the top and bottom, the 3 teams at the bottom will be keen to change their fortunes as we return to inter-conference games.  The Wirral Vikings will be keen to take advantage of their matchups this weekend as will the West Lancashire Serpents who have arguably had a tougher run of fixtures so far and an opportunity to give the Centurions their first defeat of the season.  The Manchester Crows shouldn’t be overlooked though, they are currently second with their only defeat being at the hands of the Centurions in the opening fixture of the season. The Chorley Buccaneers face a tough schedule this weekend as they face off against second, third, and fourth in the conference.

Last but certainly not least the Highlands conference.  This tantalising conference is the only one that hosts not one, but two undefeated teams, the West Lothian Chargers and the Grangemouth Mustangs. You will have to hold your horses though (pun intended), the battle of the unvanquished is not scheduled until weeks 5 and 6 unless there are some shocks (again, pun intended) along the way. Keen to create an upset will be the Grangemouth Colts who, as an expansion team of the Mustangs, are facing up against the Chargers in their first game of the tournament. The Edinburgh Gunslingers will want to sure up their defence in this tournament as the only team in this conference yet to win a game.  Overall, this conference is very tightly contested in the middle of the table with some good fixtures that have the opportunity to be a great conference to follow.

Division 1 fixtures

As the Olympics’ newest addition, there is a plethora of flag tournaments spread across the country this weekend, so no matter where you are based, get down and support your local teams and witness the skills, athleticism, and jeopardy in person.