At last, the moment you've all been waiting for! The bigger, bolder and brasher Counties 2 Yorkshire (Divisions A and B) predictions league.
Welcome back to previous season's punters - we finished last season with 18 regulars and a warm welcome to new contributors - hopefully we can get at least every club represented, the more the merrier. Punters old and new, unless obvious, it may be helpful, though not compulsory, to identify clubs with which you have an affiliation. I am associated with Ripon, but my views and opinions are not necessarily of the club.
Rules are simple, for each league week:
Predict exact score for 5 points
Predict correct winning margin (+/- 7) for 3 points
Predict correct winner for 1 point
I tot up each weeks efforts and publish a leader board. Punter with most points at end of season gets bragging rights and lots of kudos. As well as predicting results, punters can spice things up with a little banter to justify prediction - keep it clean and respectful please ;) Bonus points at my discretion for most creative and amusing banter!
Here goes:
A
Harrogate 2nds v Beverley
Ilkley Barbarians v Leeds Corinthians
Malton & Norton 2nds v Leodiensian
Ripon v Hull Ionians 2nds
TBA v Wharfedale 2nds (Not sure how this will go - maybe a HWO?)
Driffield 2nds v Northallerton
B
Halifax Vandals v Sandal Saracens
Huddersfield Laund Hill v Bramley Phoenix
Sheffield Tigers 2nds v Roundhegians
Wheatley Hills v Heath 2nds
Baildon v Wath Upon Dearne 2nds
Bradford & Bingley v Sheffield 2nds
All the best folks!
A
Gate v Beavers: Think Beavers will have more to prove. Bev -7
Barbarians v Corinthians: Probably won't be anything like the classic battle the team names suggests, but will be a gritty affair. Ilkley +7
M & N v Leos: Noting Malton a difficult place to get a result at and Leos sad decline, home win. M & N -7
Rugrats v Ionians. Not such an unknown quantity and Ripon benefitting from a "spy in the camp". Ripon prepared well, so a home win. Ripon +7
TBA v Wharfe: AWO
Driff v North: Can't see the old farmers travelling well. Driff +7
B
Vandals v Sandals: Another not so classic encounter and Mount Doom working well for a home win. HV -7
HLH v BP: Think the laundry boys have built better over summer, so a home tonking. HLH +7
Sheff Tiggers v Hegians: Can't see anything other than a lively away performance and win. Hegians +7
Weatos v Heath: Think Heath may be a one trick pony of a club and Weatos strong at home. WH -7
Baildon v Wath: Mini-mount doom a dangerous place to go to too. Wath will go down to early onset agoraphobia. Baildon -7
B & B v Sheff: Broke and busted strong at home and with the massive pitch and lary crowd, a solid home win. B & B +7
2A
Harrogate -7
Corinthians -7
Malton +7
Ripon -7
Driff +7
2B
Vandals -7
HLH +7
Hegians -7
W Hills +7
Wath -7
B&B -7
Well let's get involved with this one
A
Harrogate 2nds v Beverley
Harrogate normally start off strong until the players realise they won't get 1st team minutes and then they struggle to raise a team. Harrogate +7
Ilkley Barbarians v Leeds Corinthians
Ilkley 2s were very hit and miss last season, but at home think they will be fine. Ilkley -7
Malton & Norton 2nds v Leodiensian
I think Malton could potentially be out of there depth at this level. Leo's +7
Ripon v Hull Ionians 2nds
This could be a very good game. Ionians will be strong, but home advantage. Ripon -7
Driffield 2nds v Northallerton
Not a great result last weekend for Driffield 2s against Brid, but didn't feel the scoreline reflected the game. So think they will respond well. Driffield +7
B
Halifax Vandals v Sandal Saracens
Sandal 2s have been strong over the last few seasons, but the 1s losing some players might stretch them. Halifax +7
Huddersfield Laund Hill v Bramley Phoenix
Not much known here so home advantage. HL -7
Sheffield Tigers 2nds v Roundhegians
Another hit and miss 2nd team, who struggled to raise a team at times last season. Roundhegians +7
Wheatley Hills v Heath 2nds
Heath will have a number of players in the team that shouldn't be anywhere near Y2. And think they might get caught out as the season goes on with the squad rules. But think they will start with a win. Heath -7
Baildon v Wath Upon Dearne 2nds
Not much known about this either. Baildon +7
Bradford & Bingley v Sheffield 2nds
Sheffield have been one of the strongest 2s sides for a number of seasons. Sheffield +7
A
Beverley +7
Leeds Corinthians -7
Leodiensian -7
Hull Ionians 2nds +7
TBA v Wharfedale 2nds
Driffield 2nds -7
B
Halifax Vandals -7
Huddersfield Laund Hill +7
Sheffield Tigers 2nds +7
Heath 2nds +7
Baildon +7
Sheffield 2nds +7
A
Harrogate 2nds v Beverley - Bev +7
Ilkley Barbarians v Leeds Corinthians - Leeds -7
Malton & Norton 2nds v Leodiensian - Leo's +7
Ripon v Hull Ionians 2nds - Ripon -7
TBA v Wharfedale 2nds wharefdale +7
Driffield 2nds v Northallerton - driff +7
B
Halifax Vandals v Sandal Saracens - sandal -7
Huddersfield Laund Hill v Bramley
Phoenix - HLH +7
Sheffield Tigers 2nds v Roundhegians - hegians have the student intake delayed so tigers -7
Wheatley Hills v Heath 2nds - heath -7
Baildon v Wath Upon Dearne 2nds - baildon -7
Bradford & Bingley v Sheffield 2nds - Sheffield +7
[/quote]
Harrogate 2nds v Beverley: Beverly +7
Ilkley Barbarians v Leeds Corinthians: LC +7
Malton & Norton 2nds v Leodiensian: Leo's-7
Ripon v Hull Ionians 2nds: Ripon +7
TBA v Wharfedale 2nds (Not sure how this will go - maybe a HWO?)
Driffield 2nds v Northallerton: Northallerton-7
B
Halifax Vandals v Sandal Saracens:HV +7
Huddersfield Laund Hill v Bramley Phoenix: HLH +7
Sheffield Tigers 2nds v Roundhegians: Roundhegians +7
Wheatley Hills v Heath 2nds: WH +7
Baildon v Wath Upon Dearne 2nds: Baildon +7
Bradford & Bingley v Sheffield 2nds: Sheffield 2nds +7
Back to Rugby ;D new teams new concept just hope it's a level playingfield.hope my predictions don't come true . Eyes down look in.
Harrogate v Beverly- Gate+7
Ilkley v Corinthians- Ilkley +7
Malton v Leos - Malton +7
Ripon v Ionians - ionians+7
Vandals v Sandal - Sandal+7
HLH v Bramley ph- Back your own Bramley-7
Tiger's v Hegians-Tiger's +7
W HIlls v Heath - Heath +7
A
Harrogate 2nds v Beverley - Harrogate -7
Ilkley Barbarians v Leeds Corinthians - Corinthians +7
Malton & Norton 2nds v Leodiensian - Leos +7
Ripon v Hull Ionians 2nds - Ripon +7
TBA v Wharfedale 2nds Wharfdale +7
Driffield 2nds v Northallerton - Driffield -7
B
Halifax Vandals v Sandal Saracens - Vandals -7
Huddersfield Laund Hill v Bramley Phoenix - HLH -7
Sheffield Tigers 2nds v Roundhegians - Hegians +7
Wheatley Hills v Heath 2nds - Heath +7
Baildon v Wath Upon Dearne 2nds - Baildon +7
Bradford & Bingley v Sheffield 2nds - Sheffield +7
Vannie mate, you're selling yourself short. You've only predicted four in each division.
Hoping for another belter of a y2 season. Good luck to all. Limited knowledge of the 2nd teams but here's my predictions for what it's worth:
A
Harrogate v Bev - Bev +7
Bev will be looking to bounce straight back to y1, can see them nicking an important away win
Ilkley v Corinthians - Ilkley -7 Corinthians have been building nicely for a couple of seasons now however Ilkley always strong at home and have signed the majority of Aireboroughs cup winning colts side from last season to bolster the 2nd team
Malton v Leos - Malton +7
Long away trip for Leo's and not likely to have any new or returning students this early in the year
Ripon v Hull i's - Ripon +7
Ripon arguably one of the best teams we played last season but followed it up by losing a handful of games that on paper they should have won easily. If they can be more consistent this season I expect them to be challenging the top end of the table
Wharfedale +7
Driff vs Northallerton - Driff +7
North not known to travel well and current weather and dry pitches doesn't suit their brand of rugby
Vandals v Sandal - Vandals -7
HLH v Bramley - HLH +7
Laund hills bald centre to start where he left off last season. Must get boring giving him man of the match every week
Sheff Tigers v Roundhegians - Hegians -7
Hegians had a hell of a season last year and unlucky to miss out on promotion. However 2 players (one of which being last years captain) have left for the brown envelopes of Otley. Be interesting to see how they get on without them but expect them to get the win here.
Whilst on the topic of Otley I see they have also signed players from Bramley, Northallerton, Burley, Baildon, Yarnbury and goole to name but a few. It appears no club in the Yorkshire leagues is safe from Otleys desperate plan to buy themselves a 2nd team
Wheatley v Heath - Heath +7
Reasonably comfortable away win I expect
Baildon v Wath - Baildon +7
New coaching set up will be desperate to start off on winning ways and always play their home pitch well
Bees v Sheff - Sheff +7
Bees looked like they were cruising to promotion last season until about Xmas time when their entire backline went back to Keighley Albion to play league.
Interestingly aforementioned backline have all signed for Bradford Salem this season instead so not entirely sure what we will get from bees this time round. Sheff been consistently good for a couple of seasons so backing them for an away win
A
Harrogate -7
Ilkley +7
Malton -7
Hull +7
Driff +7
B
Vandals -7
HLH +7
Roundhegians -7
Heath +7
Baildon +7
Sheffield +7
A
Beverley +7
Leeds Corinthians +7
Leodiensian -7
Ripon -7
Driffield 2nds +7
B
Halifax Vandals -7
Huddersfield Laund Hill +7
Roundhegians -7
Heath 2nds +7
Wath Upon Dearne 2nds -7
Bradford & Bingley +7