Going to derby this weekend? Here's what to look for amongst travel team bouts:
1 December: #35 Central City [B] v #27 Newcastle
Both teams are looking for a year-ending win here in Birmingham. Newcastle, the favourite for the bout, have a winning season already, but have been slowly sliding down the rankings table. Central City [B], almost the same story, but with a 2-4 record over the past 12 months and unable to salvage a draw for the year. However, a win would be worth much more to their ranking than to NRG's, as it would be a reasonable upset.
Either team could put a nice uptick on their ranking to finish off the year here, so it should be a good bout to watch. Also, look for Central City to put to use some of the lessons learned at the Track Queens tournament to work. I know their B team was watching all those bouts, and they usually share bench staff between A and B teams, so expect some tactical work learned/perfected on the continent.
2 December: #25 Bristol Roller Derby v #50 Rainy City Roller Girls [B]
Change of fortune bout for both teams here! Bristol have been climbing the chart faster than an Adele album. Ranked #45 at the beginning of September, they've climbed 20 spaces already. Exact opposite story for RCRG [B], who peaked at #21 back in June.
My first question is when the bout was scheduled? Bristol lately have been booking teams ranked higher than them and winning. Thus, the meteoric rise. It's a smart strategy by Bristol: train hard, beat the best, be the best. Could this have been booked as another bout to help them improve their standing? Perhaps. It would be the most sensible explanation.
Unfortunately for Bristol, this bout could become a stumbling block now. They will need a decisive victory to avoid losing ranking points here, and Rainy City [B] with almost nowt to lose rank-wise will undoubtedly play clever and hard.
2 December: Unranked Bristol Roller Derby [B] v #53 Wolverhampton Honour Rollers
Unfortunately, little is known (statistically) about these two teams. I've personally seen BRD[B] skate, and they play the same fundamentals-based game of their more experienced sisters. They defeated Wilts fairly systematically, so look to see more clever pack work and well controlled, simple-yet-effective tactical play on the track. This will be their 2nd bout, thus they'll debut on the table Monday.
The Honour Rollers (love that name!) have played two already. Beat Hulls' Angels and lost to Seaside Sirens, two teams who are not at all cellar-dwellers on the table. Smart move by them to go ahead and take a challenge for your first two bouts. (They may have played closed bouts before, but those would have been closed, and thus officially do not exist.)
Good luck to two newer teams there at Filton!
2 December: #86 Evolution Roller Girls v #83 Manchester Roller Derby [B]
Two teams with a chance to move out of the 80s. MRD[B] are 1-2 over the 7 months that they've been bouting, all against regional opponents, look to even their record out against Shrewsbury's own Evolution. ERG have about the same history, 1-2 record, about 6 months of bouting history, and all against regional opponents.
This bout is about who gets to climb into the 70s, and who gets to finish 2012 with an even record. Both teams are evenly matched, so it should be an exciting bout, even with the combined bouting experience being just over 1 year.
2 December: #46 Crash Test Brummies v #37 Manchester Roller Derby [Men]
This one should be fun. A replay of a MERDC bout that ended in a 100-40 rout of the Brummies, who were still unwon. However, that sitation has changed. CTB recorded their first win over the Jakey Bites recently with a dominant scoreline, and thus come into this bout with some momentum. They're only in their first year, but definitely on the hunt for a 2nd 'W' in the record books.
The New Wheeled Order, as MRD's men's team are known, proved themselves at the tournament, finishing 4th. However, since the tournament they've struggled, losing 3 straight bouts. Still considered the favourite this weekend, they'll look to finish the year with a win, and keep up the position they earned in Birmingham. It will be fun to see if their style of play has changed since they took on the New York Shock Exchange a few weeks ago; that experience will undoubtedly help them against the much newer Brummies.
Whatever bout you go to this weekend, enjoy! Roll Britannia!
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