CAMBRIDGE
C Adams, R Bolton, N Bolton, E Tolotti
L Strahan, S Rushforth, A Foster, P Potts
B Nairn, C Wooldridge, D Jones, D Leeson
C Harris, N Lewis, L Bolton, G Allen INS: Tolotti, Potts, Allen OUTS: Perica, P Harris, M Bolton
SORRENTO
S Loftus, P Flack, M Hulbert, I Linford
C Lander, R Cunningham, B Lucas, L Oldham
K McIlroy, B Eagles, P Murray, P Morgan
S Rixom, A Barron, T Murray, G Murray INS: McIlroy, Linford, Morgan, P Murray OUTS: Butler, Taylor, Gunson, Tyson
Our season kicks off with a Friday night fixture and it pits the dominant team from White last year against a side that under performed and hit hard with departures. Despite the losses, I rate Cambridge highly and they should win this game. Cameron Harris makes his debut as a skipper in the Premier League and he is a rising star. Sorrento have recruited well with Kyle McIlroy an experienced campaigner and with Shane Loftus and Chris Lander in charge they will make life difficult for most sides this year. But I see the class of Clive Adams, Blake Nairn and Lance Strahan being too strong here.
Cambridge 7-1
SOUTH PERTH v MANNING
SOUTH PERTH
S Walker, M Biglin, P Holmes, B Owen
G Pauling, T Alberti, D Mortley, D Angell
J Opie, N Griffin, T Kinnane, K Pride
R Bresland, T Antonio, R Havercroft, F Anderson INS:Havercroft, Owen, Holmes OUTS:Reagan, Reid, Moretti
MANNING
S Knott, N Jones, M Ayres, L Herbert
A Williams, S Patterson, M Ellis, S O'Brien
A Heal, P Ker, M Allan, G Quann
L Such, L Grigg, M Kemp, P Herbert INS: Ayres, Grigg OUTS: Mitchell, Jolly
This will be an interesting opener to the season for these teams, I think both will play finals so both will be keen to get the year off on a positive note. The knee injury to Tom Mitchell has hit the Eagles for six but an able replacement in AJ Heal who can play that role very well. What a star studded set of skippers, the home side has Walker, Pauling Opie and Bresland playing Knott, Williams Heal and Such. My records show South Perth have their home game against Manning the last years at least, Manning got within 2 shots last year but I can see South Perth winning again.
South Perth 6-2
KARDINYA v ROSSMOYNE
KARDINYA
M Abonnel, G White, T Leahy, J Terrell
S Novak, B Henley, D Flintoff, R Bates
S Perica, D Radford, T Cocodis, D Wood
D Rankin, P Davies, D Comrie, S West INS: Perica, Leahy, White, Cocodis, Bates OUTS: Brown, Foy, Yates, Vinci, Golem
ROSSMOYNE
J Carter, C Edson, D Price, M Barrett
E Gollan, R Vind, D Haddow, B O'Brien
R Lang, R Halse, S Bartlett, B Cranswick
A Petchell, W Harvey, T Churcher, G Maesepp INS: Carter, Maesepp, Edson, Churcher, Bartlett, Barrett OUTS: Herbert, Beacroft, Voon, Green, Andrews, Mitchell
Our other team coming up from White also travel to the freshly laid surface at Kardinya ans what a baptism of fire they are likely to receive. No Daniel Brown but still an imposing line up. Last season in White Rossmoyne only had 1 skipper that had a better than 50% win rate, which paints for a long season ahead for the River Rats. Eddie Gollan was that skipper but they have recruited John Carter who does have PL experience, but even so I fear it might be a long season for Rossmoyne. Sam Perica joins Kardinya and skippers straight away and they have gained the consistent leading from Russell Bates, they will be far too strong here
Kardinya 8-0
BASSENDEAN v OSBORNE PARK
BASSENDEAN
D Nicholls, M Simpson, D Killisch Von Horn, A Elmer
S Davies, R Kenyon, L Pike, B Dinnison
S Fewster, J Krstic, L McKay, N Kirkup
S Alden, B Manton, N Smith, M Whitely INS: Krstic, N Smith, Kirkup, Dinnison OUTS: Rhodes, Margin, Neilson, A Smith
OSBORNE PARK
N Stevens, T Weir, T Ingram, G Smith
G Caffell, C Biddle, R Lawrence, I Lilburne
C Packer, J East, E Martin, M Rollings
R Brown, K Pickering, S O'Neill, G King INS: Biddle OUTS: Potts
Our last 2 games will give us a real glimpse into the season ahead for 4 teams. Bassendean will present weaker while Osborne Park slightly stronger, Biddle is a good pickup offset by the loss of Potts. Luckily for Bassendean it is a home game and they should be a little harder to topple, Steven Fewster replaces David Rhodes as the 4th skipper and some experienced campaigners from the Bassendean White side get their chance to shine. Bassendean the surprise packet from last year but will have their work cut out for them against Cody Packer, Neville Stevens and Gary Caffell. We'll know more at the end of the game
Bassendean of course!
DOUBLEVIEW v NORTH BEACH
DOUBLEVIEW
R Moyle, B White, L Thorn, T Whitfield
C Slavich, A Tennant, G Nelson, A Wetzler
S Gosstray, S Cerff, G Faulkner, J Barry
J Slavich, S Scott, R Haring, F Williamson INS: Scott, Williamson, Nelson OUTS: McIlroy, Brandsma, Bessant
NORTH BEACH
B Gillingham, M Sear, P Retallack, M Buttel
P Walker, N Costello, R Dempsey, G Yabuka
G Devenish, P Augustson, M McConnell, J Clayton
M Douthie, G Crosthwaite, R Hunter, L Mola INS: P Retallack, Hunter OUTS: E Retallack, Kuziela
This is a game with so many questions - How much will the departures affect the Doubleview team? Can they beat a side who are destined for demotion? North Beach started the year so well last year but the rigours of the season told on them, can they start with a bang again? Are they going to win enough games to hold off demotion, they will be viewing this game as very winnable. This is one game I will be keen to see the results of come Saturday evening. I'm picking Doubleview as they still pack some stars in the Slavich brothers and Ryan Moyle, it's the margin of the win that will be interesting.
