NL2 Thread

[bartman]

It's getting toward end of season and fight for promootion and relegation at this level. So I thought we could track any talk on that in this thread?

Here's the table before this weekend (after 12 rounds):

York City Knights 10-2 20
Dewsbury Rams 9-1-2 19
- - - - -
Hunslet Hawks 8-4 16
Workington Town 7-1-4 15
Swinton Lions 7-5 14
Sheffield Eagles 5-6 10*
Gateshead Thunder 5-7 10
Keighley Cougars 4-8 8
London Skolars 2-9 4*
- - - - -
Blackpool Panthers 1-11 2
(* - game in hand)

Top side at the end of all the rounds goes up to NL1 automatically, in place of the wooden spooner. A finals series gives an NL2 "winner" who then has a play-off against the second-last NL1 side to see if they swap places.

Bottom side *doesn't* head down to NL3. Though I think the new Welsh/Brigend club Celtic Crusaders will come straight into NL2 next year?

York beat Dewsbury today in a close game, to move three points clear at the top...

 

[Sun_Down]

I thought there was no relegation between 2 and 3?

 

[Rich]

Yes, there is no relegation to NL3 due to the enormous gulf in standards between NL2 and NL£ which is an amateur competition.

Town have a good run in, apart from York away. Hopefully they can finish second. York should get the automatic promotion though to make up for the disappointment of last year's play off v Halifax.

 

[JasonE]

It's good to see some players can make the jump from NL2 to SL, Danny Brough is coming on nicely at Hull and Andy Raleigh who was in NL2 last year will be in SL soon.

 

[bartman]

Yeah sorry, must have confused relegation here with the ongoing problems that the Panthers are having... have heard they're touch and go to be around next year?

This weekend's results:
Dewsbury 15 York 23
Keighley 20 Sheffield 33
Swinton 44 London Skolars 12
Blackpool 41 Gateshead 20
Hunslet 25 Workington Town 26

Table after Round 13:
York (11-2) 22
Dewsbury (9-1-3) 19
Workington (8-1-4) 17
Swinton (8-5) 16
Hunslet (8-5) 16
Sheffield * (6-6) 12
Gateshead (5-8) 10
Keighley (4-9) 8
London Skolars * (2-10) 4
Blackpool (2-11) 4
(* = game in hand)

Next Weekend Round 14
Sheffield v Dewsbury (Fri night)
Blackpool v York (Sun)
Keighley v Gateshead (Sun)
London Skolars v Workington (Sun)
Swinton v Hunslet (Sun)

 

[bartman]

York should get the automatic promotion though to make up for the disappointment of last year's play off v Halifax.

Worst final ten minutes by a side with a winning lead ever :? Real head in the hands stuff...

Good to have seen Danny Brough make the step up from NL2 this season and get a lot of superleague game time with Hull. Player development from within the game rather than looking too much toward southern hemisphere imports.

 

[bartman]

Last Weekend's Results - Round 14
Sheffield 27 v Dewsbury 12 - bad loss for 2nd placed Dewsbury
Blackpool 22 v York 54
Keighley 20 v Gateshead 20
London Skolars 4 v Workington Town 28
Swinton 34 v Hunslet 20

Table after Round 14 - 4 games to go
York 12-2 24 (Pretty much guaranteed automatic promotion)
Dewsbury 9-1-4 19
Workington Town 9-1-4 19
Swinton 9-5 18
Hunslet 8-6 16
Sheffield 7-6 14* (game in hand)
- - - - -
Gateshead 5-1-8 11
Keighley 4-1-9 9
London Skolars 2-11 4* (game in hand)
Blackpool 2-12 4

This Weekend's Games (Round 15 - all Sunday)
Blackpool v Hunslet
Dewsury v Keighley
Gateshead v Swinton
Workington v Sheffield
York v London - could be embarassing...

 

[coldhardbitch]

I think York will be moving on up to NL1 this year

 

[bartman]

Two more wins and it's a certainty, or one win and one more loss for both Dewsbury and Workington Town.

 

[Rich]

Worst final ten minutes by a side with a winning lead ever :? Real head in the hands stuff...

Interesting quote from a Parramatta fan.

1998 semi final. 68 minutes and they're beating Canterbury 18-2....

 

[bartman]

:lol: Yep, fair point...

I try and block the worst Parramatta moments out - can't remember much of the 2001 Grand Final first half either ;-)

 

[bartman]

This Weekend's Results - Round 15
Blackpool 12 Hunslet 36
Dewsbury 32 Keighley 22
Gateshead 58 Swinton 10 :shock:
Workington Town 34 Sheffield 10
York 60 London Skolars 12

Table after Round 15 - three games to go
York 13-2 +301 26
Dewsbury 10-1-4 +133 21
Workington 10-1-4 +58 21
Swinton 9-6 +123 18
Hunslet 9-6 +76 18
Sheffield 7-7 -54 14*
Gateshead 6-1-8 -35 13
Keighley 4-1-10 -55 9
Blackpool 2-13 -267 4
London Skolars 2-12 -280 4*
(* game in hand)

Next weekend's games - Round 16 (all Sunday)
Dewsbury v London Skolars
Gateshead v Sheffield
Hunslet v York
Swinton v Keighley
Workington v Blackpool

 

[Rich]

Town just left it too late to take top spot. Shame about all the early season injuries.

But a York collapse, starting at Hunslet next week, would still be good

 

[bartman]

One more win seals official promotion for York.

Worky could still go up through the finals and play-off system - looks like the second promotion spot will be decided in a match against Featherstone or Batley.

 

[TownMarra]

Its been a great season for us here at TOWN, last season was a success, we got a lot further than most expected, considdering it was just a 'rebuilding season'

Im expecting us to finish in second place which will mean 2 home draws in the playoffs, which we havent had for a while. Our next 2 games are vital, hopefully we can get a good result at York, afterall, we did thrash them at home a couple of months ago! The trouble is, our away form is quite erratic, especially at York, as you all know we were on the end of a massive hiding down there in the play-offs last season. Im sure it will be totally differnet this time around though, we must have the biggest pack in the league, with our 2 kiwi forwards JT and Tanni Lavulavu aswell as local lads Dean Vaughan, Matt Tunstall and our lloan players from Whitehaven Gary Purdam and Mark Cox!

We have been playing some superb rugby all season, especially in attack, once again our captain marvel johnny Limmer has been inspirational, he will surely be in SL soon. Lusi Sione, well, what can i say, is there a better attacking fullback in the League? He's simply unpredictable but outstanding. Ged has put togather a great squad, we have even got Gareth Dean back over from Carcassonne to add some more fire power to the forward line. Things are looking good, i know the supporters are expecting us to at least reach the play-off final, hopefully we'll win it!
Its just a pity our crowds couldnt have been better, the lads deserve more support!

UP THE TOWN!

 

[JasonE]

I think York are up now, well done.

 

[terracesider]

York must have made hard going of it, 6-22 down at half time.

A Batley v Dewsbury play-off would be fun. The Battle of the Shoddy Towns. Who needs State of Origin :lol:

 

[bartman]

York officially up. Giving up big halftime leads isn't the best way to do it though, and relying on some refereeing calls...

Workington Town are looking good. Wouldn't be surprised to see them get an away win against York next game, which might get them in a prime position in the play-offs...

 

[bartman]

Update table - three games to go:

York 14-2 28 (+303) - promoted to NL1
- - - - -
Dewsbury 11-1-4 23 (+159)
Workington Town 11-1-4 23 (+59)
Swinton 10-6 20 (+169)
Hunslet 9-7 18 (+74)
Gateshead 7-1-8 15 (-12)
- - - - -
Sheffield 7-8 14* (-77) - game in hand?
Keighley 4-1-11 9 (-101)
Blackpool 2-144 (-268)
London 2-13 4* (-306) - game in hand?

 

[terracesider]

Sheffield ended up a game behind because of renovation work on the Don Valley stadium. They play London Skolars next Monday to catch up.