There are a few interesting form lines involving teams in our league. With so few games played the league table isn't really telling us too much at the moment.
My instincts are telling me Barrow and Toronto are the two main players but is this a misconception? And where do we fit in in the pecking order?
We all know about Toronto but how have Barrow been playing? Barrow 28-0 York; Coventry 14-50 Barrow; Barrow 82-0 Hemel; Barrow 20-0 Keighley. They've scored 180 and conceded 14. It's the fact that they've only conceded 14 points and nilled three teams that impresses me most. This looks like the form of a side that's got a very serious chance of finishing in the top two.
Our form lines: Dons 48-22 Gloucester. How have the other teams done against Gloucester?
Workington 54-22 Gloucester. Taking that one literally probably means there's not much to choose between us and Workington. How good are Workington?
Workington have played Newcastle twice: Newcastle 18-16 Workington; Workington 20-24 Newcastle. In their other game: Oxford 6-20 Workington. This implies that Newcastle may be a couple of points better than Workington.
Does this suggest the Dons, Newcastle, and Workington may be of similar ability?
Where do Hunslet fit in? Hunslet 10-6 Gloucester. On the back of this score, it appears we should be around 22 points better than Hunslet. Hemel 10-Hunslet 58. Hunslet may be 48 points better than Hemel. On the Hemel form line we get a link back to Barrow: Barrow were 82 points better than Hemel. This gives more evidence to suggest Barrow look superior to the rest. Hunslet have also beaten Coventry 34-0. Bear (no pun intended!) in mind that we only beat Coventry 26-4.
There is one final piece of evidence that may also suggest Hunslet have limitations. In the iPro Cup: Hunslet 10-Newcastle 34.
My conclusions:
If we want to lay down a marker to suggest we're better than Newcastle and Workington, we need to win by more than 30 points. If we're actually of similar ability to Newcastle and Workington, we should win by between 24 to 30 points. If we win by fewer than 24 points, it probably suggests we're not as good as Newcastle and Workington.