QUK 2015-16 Team Preview (Part 2)

With contributions from Abby Whiteley, Jackie Woodburn, Jack Lennard, Sherrie Talgeri, and Fraser Posford.

Last week we brought you the first half of our team-by-team UK season preview, based on the rankings our analysts assigned each team. Now we conclude the piece, looking to see what these last 14 teams will be doing to climb their way into the upper echelons of UK quidditch!

15. Leeds Griffins

Last season

Established in 2011, the Leeds Griffins have suffered a frustrating season thus far, best exemplified in their gut-wrenching knockout from British Quidditch Cup (BQC) in March 2015. Despite this, the Griffins have managed to maintain a steady mid-table position with underdog triumphs and star-player performances at many a fantasy tournament. These showings prove them a team not to be overlooked for the 2015-16 season. Many expected them to flounder after loss of 2014 TeamUK player Travis Manuel to the Oxford University Quidditch Club (OUQC), but the Griffins have done the best they can to adapt to this loss. A disappointing placement at the London Unspeakables’ L Tournament last November seemed only to spur the Griffins into their third-place finish later that month at A Nightmarish Tournament, from which they emerged with victory over the University of Leicester Quidditch Club (ULQC). Coupled with their tournament performances, Leeds have also shown their proficiency as a club in hosting their to-be-annual Eggnog Tournament and end-of-season “I Ship It” Tournament with professionalism and panache.

The Leeds Griffins | Photo credit: the Leeds Griffins

This season

What’s changed?

Seemingly Leeds will be going into 2015-16 season looking to plug the hole left in their roster by the departure of five female and nonbinary players, most notably ferocious female chasers Abbi Harris and Becky Thompson. Although players like Laurel Clayton will be returning to the club in 2016-17 after a year abroad, that still leaves the Griffins short for the upcoming year. That is not to say that Leeds suffer from any lack of female prowess; Sash Steele, Alice Drinkwater, and Sophia Boyadjieva have all shown their worth time and time again, for the Griffins and fantasy teams alike. However, coupled with the loss of two experienced players and tacticians in Dave Goddin and Belgian Gryffins coach Cory Faniel, the Leeds Griffins may come to find themselves lacking.

What needs improvement?

Their player losses over the summer have left the Griffins with just two experienced keepers and three primary beaters going into the new season, so a strong recruitment drive to aid their squad depth is crucial to the success of the team. In addition, still finding themselves partnered with their university’s Harry Potter society means Leeds often finds themselves with a squad of committed athletes supported by more relaxed players – the age-old struggle of any quidditch team. This lack of commitment of all players to practise is, however, already being tackled by the new committee. Rigorous open practices all through summer have put Leeds ahead of the game going into the new season, and the rumoured arrangement of joint practices with fellow northern rivals, Hogyork Horntails and Durham University Quidditch Club (DUQC), will allow the more athletically inclined Griffins an outlet to practice to their full potential.

Prediction

Top 16 at BQC 2015-16.

16. Southampton Quidditch Club 2 (SQC2)

Last season

In the wake of a massive recruitment drive at the start of the 2014-15 season, Southampton Quidditch Club (SQC) established a second team to allow even more of their members the chance to compete for the club. They made their competitive debut against the London Unspeakables and Surrey Stags Quidditch at the T.E.A.R. It Up Tournament in December. After T.E.A.R It Up, however, the team showed rather erratic form throughout the rest of the 2014-15 campaign. The blame for this falls on the team having an ever-changing roster, which means a lack of cohesion and team chemistry cost the team dearly in some close matches. Rob Barringer, who has since departed, led a SQC hybrid team to second place at January’s Winter Classic and a 16th-place finish at BQC 2014-15 before Ajay Gohil took over full captaincy duties for the team’s second place finish at Whiteknights The Third. Although they may not have won any trophies, the team have most definitely served their purpose and allowed for plenty of players to shine. Chasers Joel Davis and Mantas Gudaitis gained promotion to the first team based on good form at both T.E.A.R. It Up and Winter Classic, while BQC 2014-15 and Whiteknights The Third were tournaments at which the likes of Jordan Moss, Georgie Adair, and Anjit Aulakh proved their ability and will have gained valuable experience going into the upcoming season.

SQC 2 | Photo credit: Fraser Posford

This season

What’s changed?

A new season calls for new leadership, and it will be beater Amy Tucker who will captain SQC2 over the coming months with chaser/seeker Andrew McCombie as vice-captain. 2015-16 will be the team’s first full season, and it will be interesting to see how they fare existing as what appears to be a development team for Southampton’s first team, similarly to OUQC’s Oxford Quidlings. Gohil has already achieved promotion, and, based on recent form, it seems possible that Aulakh and Adair – as well as veteran chaser Natasha Ferenczy – could have a chance of joining their former vice-captain on the first team come November’s Southern Cup. Beater-turned-seeker Moss’s future with SQC remains uncertain due to his graduation from university, and it looks as though the continued existence of former TeamUK player Alex Greenhalgh – who did some excellent beating at Whiteknights The Third – is still uncertain. Experienced quaffle driver Jordan Niblock will not be returning to the team, another blow to the squad.

What needs improvement?

As mentioned, a lack of a core player group cost SQC2 points last season, and this may well affect their success in the upcoming season. However, this is a consistent and unfortunate trait of second teams across all sports, and there is little club leadership can do to change this. The team will likely have benefitted from another large intake of new players in the past weeks, especially if SQC recruited a similar amount to last year, which could bolster weaker roster positions. This could possibly provide competition for movement between squads as Southampton– one of the largest clubs in the UK and Europe – continues to expand. Looking at last year’s team, SQC2 had plenty of pacey players but, with the exception of Niblock, lacked physical driving quaffle carriers and point chasers, as well as female beater substitutes for the likes of Tucker. If SQC2 can recruit these types of players and also replace any promoted players, then they could well build on their 16th place finish at 2015 BQC. That said, SQC will be an interesting team to follow this season no matter what.

Prediction

Top 16 at BQC 2015-16.

17. Cambridge University Quidditch Club (CUQC)

Last season

Cambridge were reasonably conservative in the fixtures they attended in the 2014-15 season, which was their first full season. At 2015 BQC they had a decent performance, beating a reduced Chester Chasers by 270*-90, and losing to SQC2 in snitch range. They put a hoop past the Loughborough Longshots, and eventually fell to the London Unspeakables after an injury to Angus Barry, a highly athletic utility player whose absence the team will feel keenly. Some of their players showed a lot of potential, but a small squad and a lack of fixtures meant the team overall did not manage to break properly into the mid-tier. Kaylyn Chan and new captain Sam Ellis distinguished themselves as chasers last year, and their continued presence in the 2015-16 season will help to guide fresh players in the early months.

This season

What’s changed?

Cambridge is gaining a key player in Jake Sullivan, who first played quidditch with the Radcliffe Chimeras in the 2013-14 season and is returning after a year out of the sport in the US. Even if he is out of practice, he has previously demonstrated excellent instincts and technical skill, which will help him to replace one of Cambridge’s biggest losses, talented and experienced beater Steffan Danino. Cambridge are also gaining Sian Hopper from Leeds and Tom Hardman from York; the acquisition of their experience – especially Hopper’s – should help them develop their understanding of the game and master some key skills. All said, Cambridge may struggle to replace Barry, who has been one of their strongest players.

What needs improvement?

Neater teamwork is the key to improvement for Cambridge; although they improved throughout last season, there often seemed to be disorganisation in the face of tighter lineups. Ensuring their marking is relentless would go a long way to cutting down on the hoops they allowed in, and cleaner passing on the attack would enable them to work around a lot of quaffle lineups that they might have struggled against last season. Sullivan and Michelle Lim are strong beaters, and together they form the basis for a good beater line, but Cambridge will need more depth to be able to stand up to deeper squads.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

18. Chester Centurions

Last season

The Chester team (previously known as the Chester Chasers) have been around for quite some time, taking part in the first BQC in November 2013. Since then, they have struggled to make their experience as a team count, failing to really establish themselves as a top 10 team. With Jess O’Neil taking a back seat on the team and the departure of the incredibly talented Dale King-Evans, the 2014-15 season-Centurions seemed to find themselves back at square one.  Whilst a deeply unfortunate road accident on the way to BQC 2014-15 overshadowed and scuppered what could have been a resurgence, the team performed well at Whiteknights the Third, suffering a close defeat at the hands of the Leicester Thestrals and a double overtime loss to the Reading Rocs. This allowed them to welcome O’Neill back to the side as well as break in new talent such as Connor Climo. Chester also hosted the successful Costume Cup, a big step toward building a strong identity as a club.

The Chester Centurions (then the Chester Chasers) | Photo credit: Jessica Cornelius

This season

What’s changed?

Andrew Messenger takes over as president, Matthew Garside takes the helm as captain, and the Chester team rebranded from the original team name of ‘Chasers’ to become the Chester Centurions. O’Neill makes a full return to the club and will be imparting her wealth of beating knowledge to harness the potential of Harry Parkes, Chloe Beasley, and Sam Legg. Meanwhile, quaffle players who had an encouraging end to the last season, such as the aforementioned devilishly fast Climo, the powerhouses Stuart Killoran and Dominic Mellor, and the always-capable Beth Quayle and Elizabeth Boagey. Olly Barker will be building on his presence this season, filling a reassuring and confident quaffle carrying role. However, the Centurions have suffered from what can only be described as an exodus of non-male players, with Fiona Staub, Peggy Cook, Jess Studholme, Laura Bagnall, Anna Kersting, and Leah Zimmerer all leaving the team. They will need to rebalance their roster if they are to finally break through into the upper rankings of UK quidditch.

What needs improvement?

A dependence on King-Evans presented a major hurdle for the club after their departure to OUQC and only recently has fresh growth been apparent. New beaters will have to be recruited in particular, as most of the players who left over the summer formed the core of Chester’s beater lineup. Staub in particular will be a loss (but a gain for Toulouse Muggle Quidditch, the team she will now be playing with in France). Though the return of O’Neill may provide some relief, she will have to take on a guiding role to new players if the team is to grow sustainably. Whilst the team certainly isn’t lacking in physical quaffle players, the speed that Climo offers will hopefully allow them to explore new tactics that will make the most out of the talent they already have.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

19. St Andrews Snidgets

Last season

The Snidgets endured a mixed season, winning the inaugural Scottish Cup but failing to make an impression at 2015 BQC, where they lost all three group games and spectacularly self-destructed against the Norwich Nifflers despite leading by 50 at one stage. Their seeking was a major weakness; the Snidgets matched OUQC’s Oxford Quidlings and London Unspeakables twice on quaffle points, only to lose all three matches on the snitch catch. At Highlander Cup II, a respectable showing against Durham University Quidditch Club’s Durhamstrang looked better in hindsight than at the time, and whilst they were blown out in their first game against the Tremough Quidditch Club’s Falmouth Falcons, they regrouped to hover on the edge of snitch range in the rematch. An incredibly tight 40*-30 friendly win over Warwick on 16 Nov., 2014 also does them credit.

The St Andrews Snidgets | Photo credit: the St Andrews Snidgets

This season

What’s changed?

The champions of Scotland face a tough battle to retain their title this season. Major departures leave the team with several holes to fill. Beater Ben Middlemiss, the only TeamUK member from Scotland, is leaving, as are regular starters Katie Cook, Alex Harrison, and Sasha Burgoyne; ex-captain Matt O'Connor is gone until Christmas.Their current greatest asset is arguably Elliott Fogg who, along with Middlemiss, is one of the best two male beaters in Scotland. The Snidgets’quaffle play will rely heavily on chasers Roland Crompton, Sergey Drobysh, Sam Bunce, Hannah Jacobs  – now promoted to first-choice keeper with Cook's graduation – and Aakash Gupta.

What needs improvement?

The Snidgets have often struggled with physicality and will be hoping to recruit several athletic new players to improve both the solidity of both their defence and their attack. A strong recruitment drive in 2014-15 completely refreshed the Snidgets' squad – however, despite the standard Scottish four-year course theoretically prolonging the players' time on the team, departures will still take a heavy toll. At the Highlander Tournament in October, the Snidgets have several potential grudge fixtures in the London Unspeakables, the Norwich Nifflers, and long-term rivals the Edinburgh Holyrood Hippogriffs, who will likely provide their sternest challenge yet. The Snidgets' tendency to lose on the snitch catch will hurt them repeatedly this season unless they can find a way to improve their seeking. Caitlin Hamilton is probably their best bet at present, having turned in impressive seeking performances on the champion teams at the Clan Warfare and Summer Cup mercenary tournaments. Can the Snidgets retain their Scottish crown and improve their national standing in a season likely to see significant power shifts across the country? The answer to both is yes, but neither task will be easy.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

20. Reading Rocs

Last season

The Reading Rocs, long since in a spiral of decline since their relative glory days as one of the earliest clubs in the UK, suffered an incredibly disappointing campaign last season. After a mediocre display at the Southern Cup in November 2014, where they were soundly beaten by once-rivals the London Unspeakables and only narrowly scraped by with an overtime win against newcomers the Bristol Brizzlepuffs, the team began the season shakily. However, little could have prepared them for a dismal 20th placing out of 23 teams in attendance at BQC 2014-15. This was marginally recovered at the third edition of their annual Whiteknights competition, where they performed admirably in a 70*-30 defeat to the Leicester Thestrals and a double overtime victory against Chester, whilst also staying in SWIM range against eventual champions Bangor for 18 minutes.

The Reading Rocs (wearing red) with the Leicester Thestrals | Photo credit: Luke Parker

This season

What’s changed?

One of the greatest losses for Reading this season has to have been utility player Lee Baughan, who transferred during the summer to Taxes Quidditch and whose skill in beating and seeking especially stood out from the rest of the lineup. Old guard member Nicole Stone has also gone to join Taxes, as has last season’s captain Tom Jones. Although these are big blows to the chasing lineup, this does give the team the chance for a major overhaul of management, with Chris Thomas taking the reins and hoping to guide the team back to glory.

What needs improvement?

The Reading team have taken the first steps in an overhaul of strategy and recruiting, though only time will tell whether new captain Thomas will reward the team with success. The team certainly has the determination to do well, but will need to all be on the same page when it comes to goals for the year ahead if it is to build a strong performance on-pitch. Organising regular friendlies is simply a must. The Reading Rocs exist in a hub of quidditch in the South – with an increasing number of teams surrounding them – and yet are rarely competing on a frequent level with nearby teams; this is inexcusable. Although they have finally begun to reach out – as made noticeable by a recent friendly against SQC – no Reading freshers were in attendance, which is disappointing to hear. It is, however a good start. A lack of exposure to more gameplay, even against teams who may potentially outmatch them, is why the team’s growth stagnated in the first place. However, with a large turnover in players, this could be the first year where the Reading Rocs start rebuilding their legacy.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

21. Holyrood Hippogriffs

Last season

The Holyrood Hippogriffs endured a difficult season in 2014-15, their only victories coming against a fresher-heavy St Andrews Snidgets side early in the season, and against the St Andrews Skrewts and Dumyat Dragons in the first Scottish Cup. They lost all four games at their own Highlander tournament. However, their improvement over the season was obvious. Reduced to just two matches at BQC 2014-15 by the withdrawal of the Surrey Stags (which did give the Hippogriffs an automatic 150 QPD), the Hippogriffs went down 190*-0 to SQC1, the eventual champions. In the next game, they almost sprung the surprise of the tournament against the London Unspeakables, leading by 10 in the quaffle game before a cruel snitch catch made it 110*-90. They only missed out on the second round on QPD after the Chester Chasers (now the Centurions) were forced to forfeit their match against SQC2, giving the latter team the same QPD of 150 from which the Hippogriffs had earlier benefited and shifting the Edinburgh side just out of bracket play.

The Holyrood Hippogriffs | Photo credit: Alexandra Bisia

This season

What’s changed?

The Hippogriffs have retained a strong core of players from their last season, including seeker-captain Johnney Rhodes, stalwart defensive beater Saskia Strangfeld, and aggressive quaffle drivers Nye Baker and Ollie Riley, the latter of whom received plaudits for his performance at the third Mercian Cup. Losing Gus Longo will hurt, but in general the Hippogriffs have kept hold of a good group of players.

What needs improvement?

The Hippogriffs’ primary goal in recruitment will be to improve their limited male beater corps, a consistent problem across Scottish quidditch. With that gap plugged, their starting six begin to look like a very dangerous lineup. Ben Middlemiss, TeamUK reserve beater and formerly of the St Andrews Snidgets, will be playing with the Hippogriffs this season, and this is an excellent step towards filling the male beater slot. With the Snidgets losing several key players and having a far smaller pool of freshers to draw on, the stage is set for an almighty battle between the established quidditch guard for the title of the best team in Scotland. Their first test will come at the third Highlander Tournament in October, where the Hippogriffs have a clear path to a podium finish in a field of eight teams.

Prediction

Top 16 at BQC 2015-16.

22. Norwich Nifflers

Last season

The Norwich Nifflers came into the 2015-16 season following a fairly unremarkable first season – placing last at Whiteknights 2 and only beating one team at BQC 2014-15 – so unlike other teams they had little pressure. Unfortunately, this does not seem to have helped the team at all, with only three recorded victories out of 15 games over the entire season. Their most disappointing performances were at Whiteknights The Third and Southern Cup; they finished last at both tournaments. Although their performance at BQC 2014-15 was not significantly better, they were able to come back from being 80 points down to beat the St Andrews Snidgets 100*-90. In the latter part of the season, they definitely showed some steady improvement, particularly in their seeker game, where they went 3-3 in SWIM scenarios.

This season

What’s changed?

The Nifflers are facing yet another year with significant roster turnover a number of experienced players leaving, including key players Sam Wainwright and Priya Wolton. As of now, the Quidditch Post does not know of any experienced players planning to join Norwich.

What needs improvement?

Although they are losing a number of players, the Norwich Nifflers still seem to have a reasonable number of players returning for the season, including last year’s captain Georgia Rumney and Southern Cup’s rookie of the tournament, Matt Frampton. If Norwich is able to capitalise on these experienced players and gain more tournament practice in the early season (such as Highlander 3), we may see great improvement from the Nifflers. That being said, the competitive quidditch landscape has thus far left the Nifflers trailing significantly, at least partly due to their lack of fixtures outside of major tournaments, and so they would require a significant improvement to push past the ranking that they earned this past year.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

23. Manchester Manticores

Last season

The 2014-2015 season was a fairly uneventful one for the Manchester Manticores yet a significant season nonetheless as it was over this period that they managed to establish themselves as a team. Having struggled for numbers initially, the Manticores finally made their competitive debut against the Chester Centurions (formerly the Chester Chasers) in October 2014. Despite managing to pull off a win against one of the UK’s oldest and most established teams, the victory was a hollow one for the team due to the fact they couldn’t field an eligible roster for the match and were kindly lent a few players by Chester so the fixture could go ahead. Manchester’s highlight of last season has to be their tournament debut at Whiteknights The Third in April. The team, which included former Radcliffe Chimeras captain and Team UK star Luke Twist (a Manchester secondary player), showed promise throughout the tournament and managed to reach the Pink Vampire cup (lower bracket) final in which they faced the London Unspeakables. In this all purple encounter, Manchester held their own against their experienced opponents and thought they had won the game when captain Ben Crump swooped for the snitch sock. Unfortunately, the catch was disallowed as Crump failed to maintain his grip and dropped the snitch before the game could be stopped. SWIM-specialist seeker Fiona Howat then went on to make a successful grab only moments later to win the match for the Unspeakables and deny Manchester what would’ve been one of the biggest upsets in UK history. After their agonising defeat at Whiteknights, Manchester then went on to host their first ever tournament, the Cottonopolis Cup, just a few weeks later, showing their true ambition as a new team in the sport. The tournament was contested between the hosts, the Chester Centurions and the Preston Poltergeists with Chester coming out on top. The Manticores hope to make Cottonopolis a regular event with the next installment coming later in this coming season.  

The Manchester Manticores at Whiteknights The Third | Photo credit: the Manchester Manticores

Next Season

What’s Changed?

Going into the 2015-2016 season, it’s all change for the Manticores in the coaching department with the departure of the beloved Philomena Chenne from the club. An integral part of the team over the last season, Chenne will be missed greatly by everyone in the team. However, the good news for Manchester is the arrival of Jeanne Hatake who replaces Chenne as team coach. Primarily a chaser for Crookshanks Lyon, Hatake is on a study abroad program in the North West for a year and having represented France at this summer’s IQA European Games, she will hopefully use her experience of top-level quidditch to bring on this Manchester team. As evidenced by their posting on social media, the Manticores have had a successful intake of new players at the start of this season with over 20 rumoured to have joined the club. This puts them in good stead for the upcoming Northern Cup in Durham at the end of October and based on their performance at Whiteknights, they could just well earn themselves a shock victory or two.

What needs to improve?

The most obvious problem for Manchester last season was a lack of players which denied them entry into many tournaments, particularly BQC. Based on their new additions, this shouldn’t be an issue for them so much this season however if they wish to keep building in size as a club, a change from sourcing players mainly from within the university to drawing from the wider nearby community may be advised. This is a case very similar to that of fellow northern counterparts the Leeds Griffins and I personally believe that both teams would benefit greatly from the shift in focus. Like Leeds, the team is located in one of the UK’s largest university cities yet due to its strong affiliation to the University of Manchester, it almost exclusively pools players from this institution. Universities are the easiest places to recruit new and eager quidditch players and with other universities such as Manchester Metropolitan and Salford right on their doorstep, it would make sense for the team to further afield. Finally, now that they have truly set themselves up as a team, it is time for the Manchester players to get as much playing experience as possible. When you take Luke Twist out of the picture, they still showed a lot of potential at Whiteknights and Captain Crump should be aiming for a strong performance at the upcoming Eggnog Tournament in Leeds as well as an improvement on last season’s Whiteknights result whilst attending Northern Cup and BQC. This extends into fantasy tournaments as well with utility player Ben Mercer already having gained from this after playing in Looking Fly’s All Star Weekend in August. Hopefully his teammates will follow his lead by joining in with the likes of Christmas and Valentines Cup. These tournaments are undeniably great fun and a good way of learning more about the sport from those you play alongside and against which can only be a good thing for the club in its development.

Prediction- Round of 16 at BQC 2015-16.

24. Swansea Seven Swans

Last season

It may have taken a while to set up but under the tutelage of former Bangor Broken Broomsticks player Sally Higginson Swansea Seven Swans have established themselves as the second quidditch team in Wales. Swansea made their competitive debut at Whiteknights the Third in April 2015, which proved to be a difficult tournament for the team. They endured large defeats to Chester, the Reading Rocs, and the London Unspeakables before eventually scoring an inaugural victory against the Norwich Nifflers, grabbing third place in the lower bracket from the East Anglian side. Chasers Ed Brett and Kitty Purcell as well as seeker Caroline Norrish shone at Whiteknights the Third as players with real potential; it will be interesting to see how Swansea kick on in the next few months.

This season

What’s changed?

A big loss to the Seven Swans in the coming season will undoubtedly be Sally Higginson, who has departed for new pastures in Germany. Higginson has been a key figure on the UK quidditch scene for the past few years, and her ability in all four positions was of great use to the South Wales team. Swansea will have been, of course, grateful for her presence while it lasted, and likely hope it was the springboard needed to get the ball rolling. As of yet, the Quidditch Post are unaware of any further departures or arrivals.

What needs improvement?

Swansea may have established themselves as a team but they still have a long way to go in terms of development before they can challenge for the top prizes in UK quidditch. An influx of new players in September would have been the first step to this, as well as the continued attendance of fantasy tournaments throughout the season as some of Swansea’s players did last season; we saw Swansea representatives at Christmas Cup, Valentines Cup II, and Summer Cup. This allowed players to experience playing with others from more established teams and to learn vital skills and techniques in a more relaxed tournament environment. A mentor similar to the outgoing Higginson would also be particularly valuable to train up the Seven Swans, especially if they intend on entering a team in time for November’s Southern Cup in Oxford.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

25. University of Kent Flying Chaucers

Last season

Having only been established in 2014, the Chaucers’ competitive debut (and only fixture to date) was last season at BQC in March 2015. Here they were drawn into the “group of death”, containing Bangor, DUQC, and the University of Nottingham Nightmares. Despite the odds being stacked against them, the Chaucers displayed a strong, if tactically lacking, chaser lineup as well as a promising beater corps. Their small side was often depleted further by a patchy knowledge of the rulebook. However, despite that multiple red and yellow cards at one point left them with only four players on pitch, the Chaucers still managed to put a hoop past Durhamstrang. What was more impressive still – despite them losing all their games – was their development within the group stages. They learned from every game they played; if they continue this trend, this will place the Kent side in a strong position for the upcoming season.

This season

What’s changed?

Last season, the Chaucers suffered from the problems that plague any team in the beginning: financial instability, insufficient training equipment, and a lack of knowledge of the rulebook. With all but the latter now proven solved, a packed fixtures calendar is key for the Kent team; it would both cement their knowledge of the rulebook and allow them to develop tactically. The one loss from their lineup is chaser/keeper, Will Gibson-Garcia, a standout player even within a small BQC 2014-15 squad due to his bulk and sheer strength when charging down-pitch. Although this loss may damage the Chaucers in the short term, in the long run it may lead to them developing more of a passing game as a substitute for hero runners.

What needs improvement?

It will be interesting to see how the Chaucers’ female players develop. Often seen at 2015 BQC holding a bludger whilst looking rather dazed, their beats were hard and accurate when they caught up to the pace of the game at a national level. The potential is certainly there, but it will only be within ample fixtures that we will see it fulfilled. Finally, the UK community will be devastated to note the replacement of the fabled Chaucer capes with proper uniforms. New captain James Gaunt was, however, quick to reassure us that they will be making a comeback, though they’ll be purely ceremonial.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

26. Surrey Stags

Last season

Surrey’s first quidditch season was, for the most part, unofficial when it came to tournaments. With their first games being a pair of friendlies against the London Unspeakables and the newly formed SQC2, Surrey showed a lot of potential, despite losing both games. Having dropped out of 2015 BQC, Surrey’s next games did not take place until Whiteknights The Third, where they formed a squad together with London Unspeakables; this combined squad topped the lower bracket. Although this team was much more heavily populated by Unspeakables players, the presence of Surrey players at Whiteknights the Third foretells a promising future for Surrey and is hopefully an indication of a Surrey presence at BQC 2015-16.

This season

Having not played any official tournaments last season, it is difficult to analyse any existing lineups and possible changes that certain absences will make to the Stags’ performance this season. The few games they have played show that the team is yet to find a coherent playing style and so is unlikely to be topping any tournaments in the next season. However, the few appearances they have made have shown a team with a lot of potential, and it is hoped that the club are able to attend more events this year.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.

27. St Andrews Skrewts

The St Andrews Skrewts are unlikely to be a consistent second team this season. Their sole appearance so far was during last season's Scottish Cup, where they defeated the University of Stirling’s Dumyat Dragons and lost to the St Andrews Snidgets and Holyrood Hippogriffs. The limited size of the St Andrews squad means that they are likely to reappear only at the next Scottish Cup, which will presumably be hosted in St Andrews. Of course, an unexpectedly large fresher intake might change that and establish the Skrewts as a genuine second team, but at the moment it is unlikely that the Skrewts will play outside of Scotland this year.

Prediction

Not attending BQC 2015-16.

The St Andrews Skrewts | Photo credit: the St Andrews Snidgets

28. The University of Stirling’s Dumyat Dragons

Last season

The Dumyat Dragons are the first Scottish team to properly establish themselves as a third wheel to the quidditch Old Firm of the St Andrews Snidgets and Holyrood Hippogriffs. After a baptism of fire at the Scottish Cup, where they were comprehensively beaten by all in attendance, the Dragons’ late formation and distance from Nottingham meant they did not attend BQC 2014-15 - though they gained valuable experience by fielding every single one of their available players at the Clan Warfare mercenary tournament.

This season

With a profile-raising award for Club of the Year under their belt, the Dragons will hope to lure in new players to bolster their small squad, especially more athletic players; the University of Stirling’s strong sporting pedigree should help them here. With only ten players – of which only two were male – at the Scottish Cup, the Dragons urgently need reinforcements, especially for beleaguered male players Liam Stewart and Rob Senior, who have been forced to play every minute of the Dragons' previous games. The Dragons cannot be faulted for their enthusiasm, and Captain Vicky Martin's leadership should prove a valuable organisational tool as Stirling look to establish themselves as a solid team. The Dragons will be hoping to attend the next iteration of BQC; at the Highlander Tournament and the Northern Cup, they will have a solid chance of notching their first competitive victory, which will surely be their main goal this season.

Prediction

Group stages at BQC 2015-16.