The Prem :: How will it finish?

[Mr.Stanford]

So the Southern UKLacrosse Premiership has been um… err… unpredictable to say the least.



At the mid season break Hitchin are topping the table with Reading in a close second, no one would have predicted that at the start of the season. That surprise aside the current standings in the table don’t tell the whole story.

Spencer:
Hotly tipped at the start of the season with rumours of returning stars and recruited talent, they were placed up there with Hampstead and Purley, the perennial overachievers. They scored no less than 18 goals in their first 4 games of the season, with Hitchin and Purley in that selection. Things slipped a little in Nov with a loss to Blues and a draw the following week with Reading. They’re grasp on the league dealt another blow with their loss to Welwyn just before Christmas. Spencer above Welwyn on goal difference, have a game in hand against Hampstead, current form suggests that Spencer will win this and squeeze to the top of the league.

Walcountian Blues:
Blues are often found in the middle of the table battling hard, but never really making a serious challenge for the title. The Christmas break comes and they’re in the middle chunk of the league, no surprise there… But wait, they’re 2 games in hand and on 16 points, if they can post wins over postponed Hawks and Purley then they’ll be on the same W D L record as Welwyn and Spencer (potentially) taking them to the top 3 in the table and they’ve already scored more goals than Welwyn. In the second half of this season Blues will mount a very serious bid for that top spot.

Welwyn:
Where to start with the premiership new comers? Surprising everyone this season (possibly even them selves) with some fantastic results beating Hitchin, Spencer and Blues (all teams with a chance of finishing top). They have 1 game in hand against Hampstead who have been underperforming all season, even though they’re still fielding a lot of north Americans. If they win this game it would put them in the top 3 of the table.

Hitchin:
Loosing a couple of key players from last years roster, Hitchin knew this would be a transition season to bed in the new players they found laying around. Expecting a mid table finish at the start of the season they’re surprised to find them selves in their current situation, strong league position and semi final of the flags (against Welwyn). They should continue to improve as the season progresses with the new players learning to play with the old guard and gaining experience along the way.

Reading:
Traditionally strong at the back, they’re problem has usually been penetration up front. This year they have acquired a couple of good offensive players who are key in putting together the good team offence they’ve had on display at times this season. They’re another team that will improve as the season progresses and they all become more comfortable with the style of offence being put in place.

Purley:
Dubbed as one of the top 3 at the start of the season, however being plagued by injury, retirement and other commitments has meant a depleted pool of they’re usual talents. Seeing this as an opportunity to blood new players in preparation for the seasons to come, it will be interesting to see when their injuries heal.

EG:
Always a strong unit, posting some great results this season, doing everyone a favour and taking Hampstead out of the flags in style. They’re capable of upsetting any of the top teams on they’re day however the consistency of great performances may be what’s holding them back at this point of the season.

Hampstead:
Shocking everyone with a poor start to the season by their own high standards. They seem to have a couple of injuries and players gone AWOL, however they still have some good players on offer. It will be very interesting to see if one or 2 of they’re big names return as this could turn they’re season around.

Hillcroft:
A team that hasn’t really made an impact over the last few seasons, with the potential to perform well (as seen against Blues) but lacking consistency. It’s not all bad news, they seem to have a pool of dedicated and enthusiastic players who will only improve with time.

Hawks:
After having their request to drop a division denied they seem to have had a tough time of things this season. Loosing 8 1st teamers from last season it’s been a steep learning curve for some of they’re players. They do however have a couple of players with good experience, which will help the newer players progress as the season unfolds. If they go down this season they’ll have a good core of players with premiership experience to compete in the West next season.

How I see it finishing:
1. Spencer
2. Blues
3. Welwyn
4. Hitchin
5. Reading
6. Purley
7. EG
8. Hampstead
9. Hillcroft
10. Hawks

So what does everyone else think?

[fifteen peter twenty]

This is my first season in the south premier league and I have been surprised by the results as much as anyone.

I think that if they can both get a proper team out each week then either Spencer or Hitchin will take the league, they seem two of the few teams who know how to play and have a few players to look to for a bit extra.

Sadly, Purley don't seem that interested and Hampstead don't care either...

[jsgi]

I had thought about posting such a topic myself Rhoddi...Your assessment is fairly sound.

It seems every week that another of the top teams drops points. And any of the top 8 can beat any other on their day. I think the winners of the league will come from the following 4 teams:

I feel Spencer are the quality outfit still but can lose their way. They may have been guilty of complacency against the blues and may have been victims of "cup final" syundrome where other teams raise their game against those seen as the best. They have their games against the other main contenders spaced out nicely.
The Blues could have been in a better position if it was not for the 2 last minute goals conceeded against EG and Hitchin however we may well struggle to get all their fixtures played especially if the weather continues to be a bit iffy. The next 5 games are key playing Reading, Welwyn, EG (always a huge game for the blues), Hitchin then Spencer, we should at least be battle hardened by the time it comes to Spencer in the flags the week after.
Welwyn, the suprise team of the season so far...looked good against a lackluster blues very solid in D and some threats in attack. Playing Hitchin and the Blues in the first two games of january will go a long way to prove their title credentials.
Hitchin, not as strong as in previous years but capable of beating anyone on their day. Have a tough January with welwyn first up then Spencer and the Blues in consecutive weeks at the end.

However I do expect EG, Reading Purley and Hampstead to throw some spanners in the works.

Which ever way it turns out it will be exciting with the winners probably losing 3 or 4 games in the season and would anyone bet against the top two teams level on points at the end of the season.

[Chilli]

Just to clarify the point made about the Hawks being 'denied' a request to drop a Division.
In fact they were asked on numerous occasions from January 08 onwards as rumours grew that they would ask to drop out of the Premiership wherever they finished due to the number of players leaving.
I personally asked them face to face after the game against Reading
The problem was that every time they said that whatever happened they were determined to stay in the Premiership, until August (if memory serves) when they sent a 'what if' email to myself and the Fixture Secretary.
This was after the draft fixtures had gone out and been considered by the Clubs for six weeks as required by the ByeLaws, and after various clubs had been moved from division to division to make the numbers work.
When the Fixture Secretary expressed his feelings they said that it was only a 'what if' situation and that they would stick it out for experience.
As past decisions have shown, in order to help clubs to adapt and grow, SEMLA has approved various requests to move between Divisions in the past.
I am sure that if Swansea had requested a move to West One at any time prior to the SEMLA AGM they would now be playing in that Division.

[Mr.Stanford]

Chill out, i wasn't having a go! They left it too late it was their own fault.

[Chilli]

I wasn't unchilled, just anticipating someone asking why Hawks were denied when Penarth etc had been allowed and wanted to let whoever know the full background
Happy New Year

[Ninja]

Just from curiosity, why, or how, did the hawks lose 8 first team players? why they all jump ship?
Being a patriotic taff i was hoping they would make a mark in the top flight this year and remain there. only now have i seen their results.

[Mr.Stanford]

Just from curiosity, why, or how, did the hawks lose 8 first team players? why they all jump ship?
Being a patriotic taff i was hoping they would make a mark in the top flight this year and remain there. only now have i seen their results.

1 gone back to rugby
1 moved to Hitchin
1 moved to Cardiff
1 moved to Bedford
1 Moved to London
1 Moved to Bristol
1 Gone traveling
1 Was already living in london

[Ninja]

cheers
bloody hell, that has got to be the worst luck for any team before any new season??
their coach must've been gutted.

[Ash]

cheers
bloody hell, that has got to be the worst luck for any team before any new season??
their coach must've been gutted.

Yep not a great way to start your season. Though thinking with my geography hat on it seem more likely that it will happen to clubs in such towns. Unless you have a burning life long ambition to work for the DVLA, swansea isn't the most diverse employment centre for a university town (and a lot of lax players seem to be graduates or doing degrees), compared to the likes of bristol, cardiff london. And if you leave for work your almost certainly going to end up closer to another lacrosse club as the town is such an outlier, not the worlds most commutable town! The lacrosse equivalent of the brain drain!

I'm quite looking forward to it if swansea end up in West one again, they've always been a good team and will add to the growing strength of the west one league, even if they are a mission to get too!

[Spencer]

This is my first season in the south premier league and I have been surprised by the results as much as anyone.

I think that if they can both get a proper team out each week then either Spencer or Hitchin will take the league, they seem two of the few teams who know how to play and have a few players to look to for a bit extra.

Sadly, Purley don't seem that interested and Hampstead don't care either...

I dont think that Purley and Hampstead are not interested , Purley still have a core of good players I think they just havent been performing as well this season. Hampstead , two words credit crunch.

Saying that having seen both teams play last weekend i can safely say that both teams will be mounting a charge for the league this half of the season. Hampstead looked S**t hot with a full squad of 17 whooping americans and other transient players.

[Spencer]

Oh yeah for the league Id say , who knows?

[Paddyp]

Hmm i'm going to go with:
1. Spencer
2. hitchin
3. Welwyn
4. Blues
5. Reading
6. Hampstead
7. EG
8. Purley
9. Hillcroft
10. Swansea Hawks