Lions now the hunted
Men’s BCiB Premier League Preview Another bowls season is upon us and as usual there are plenty of moves a foot with players moving clubs for a variety of reasons. Let’s have a look at the 10 sides who will battle it out in the BCiB Men’s Premier League Competition and rate their chances. Once again this year we will be doing a round in review covering all grades of competition, please feel free to share your bowling experiences with us especially any funny or interesting occurrences that we can share with the readers – send via email to enquiries@bowlswa.com.au before Monday lunch time after each round of pennants.
Bassendean
Last years premiers face a challenge this season following the loss of some key personal. The side adapted well after the loss of Daniel Patterson last year to win the flag but the loss of Aaron Staples to Inglewood further compound their backend woes. Beau Manton is another big loss having been one of Premier League’s more consistent leads. Luke Pewsey played all year in the Premier League team last year while Keith Manton’s departure takes way from the depth of the side. Chris Margin is a nice pickup but the rest of their ins may find themselves fighting for their places in the early part of the year. The pressure is now squarely on the reigning premiers to stretch again to meet the challenge. In Justin Opie and Blake Nairn they still have two of last year’s top five skips showing they have still have a good core group. David Rhodes is now an experienced skip while Simon Alden has filled the role before at Kalamunda and Linton Pike is as solid a third as you could want. If adversity breeds opportunity then look out for the Lions seizing it.
Ins: C Margin (Stirling) , R Ellis, S Anning, J Morss
Outs: B Manton (Victoria), K Manton (Mosman Park), A Staples (Inglewood), L Pewsey
Pass Mark: Despite losing a few the reigning premier has to at least give themselves a chance to defend. Should be looking for a finals berth.
Predicted Finish: Fifth
Cambridge
Prevented from winning the flag last year on the last bowl of competition Cambridge will be desperate for redemption in 2016-17. The addition of Daniel Patterson in the second half of last year saw an already good side further enhanced and with very little movement amongst the ranks this looks a team who should prove the ones to beat this year. Andrew Foster has been playing One Blue at Dalkeith and adds to the front end whilst premiership player Steve Rushforth returns to the club. The Knights went one better than their 2015 preliminary final appearance last year and there’s no reason that pattern can’t continue. With three skippers with over a hundred state games to their name as well as the aforementioned Patterson Cambridge will be in every game up to their eyes. The other sides around them are improving but after last years runaway top of the ladder finish they’ll have to improve a long way to catch the Knights. Last year’s loss could spur them on.
Ins: Andrew Foster (Dalkeith-Nedlands), Steve Rushforth (Returning Player)
Outs: Neil Bolton (not playing)
Pass Mark: When you are beaten in dramatic circumstances the year before only a flag will suffice.
Prediction: First
Osborne Park
The Saints put in a strong performance to finish third last season after a rare year where they didn’t make the finals. There was some nervousness at times but they were in a box seat in the back end of the year to make finals and even threatened to take Bassendean’s second place at times. Their season ended at the hands of eventual Premiers Basso after in the semi final after disposing of Manning in the morning. The saints have snared some big recruits to ensure that they’ll challenge again. Daniel Trewhella returns after a long absence and will take over a rink to give real strength. Cody Packer returns to Premier League a couple of years more experienced and will be better for it. Neville Woods brings some flexibility as the Saints look to sure up their middle section. Paul Kelly has had to leave the club but the ins do outweigh his loss. Unfortunately on the eve of the season John Goddard has become unavailable and with his return date unknown he could cause a major hole to form. But if young players like Lewis Grigg, Sean Mawdsley and Darren Rowland can continue their development then who knows where the Saints will be when he returns.
Ins: D Trewhella (Stirling), Cody Packer (Bedford), Neville Woods (Eaton)
Outs: Paul Kelly (Stirling)
Pass Mark: After making some big acquisitions finals is an absolute minimum and they should be looking to play-off for the flag.
Prediction: Second
Manning
It was a disappointing premiership defence for the Eagles who barely scraped into the four and were promptly knocked out in the elimination final. They endured a similar season in their premiership year to come over the top of everyone in the finals. Exposed form would say they don’t have the consistency as a side to put together a full season but the talent to be in the top one or two is still there. The Eagles face a host of outs this season the most notable of which is state skipper Matt Ellul’s move to Mosman. It also appears Peter Ker will not be available for selection either. The Eagles will remain confident they have the depth to cover but they have been hit hard. Add to their list of outs Alan Pryce and Ryan Philpot are not in the round one side and you can see there is a big changing of the guard in the team. NTC Squad member Nathan Jones is a nice pick up who’ll help offset the damage but is still developing. Murray Piggott and Nick Rees bring experience from One White to sure up the middle section. The team still has some top end talent but will have to gel a lot better than it has to contend for the flag. We’re predicting a familiar position.
Ins: Nathan Jones (Kardinya), Murray Piggot (Mt Pleasant), Nick Rees (Mt Pleasant)
Outs: Frank Carbone (Stirling), Matthew Ellul (Mosman Park), O Dawson (Kardinya), J Brooks (Not Playing), D Appleton (Not playing), M McMullen (Eastern States), B Butler (not playing), P Ker (not playing)
Pass mark: Considering last years poor year Manning should be looking at least another finals appearance.
Predicted finish: Fourth
Doubleview
After narrowly missing the finals last season Doubleview have a good mixture of recruits to help push on this year. The return of Kyle McIlroy after a season at Stirling is huge. He’ll take a skippers slot and ease some of the pressure on other players who will slide back to lesser roles. Paul Walker coming in from Innaloo will be a very solid three to further strengthen the back end. Mike Browne has been named to lead in the round one side and will add depth to the front end while Andrew Garlick and David Grima will make strong pushes for selection in while playing the magoos. The versatile Aaron Delaporte is the only out for the View and Chris Hickman is unavailable for the early rounds in what has been a good off season from a player movement standpoint. With continued development into young players Corey Bessant and Ryan Moyle this is a side that strongly resembles the one that finished top of the ladder two years ago. Who knows, if they all play well and come together as a side this side could have the potential to go one better than that team did.
Ins: Paul Walker (Innaloo), Kyle McIlroy (Stirling), Mike Browne (Stirling), David Grima (NSW), Andrew Garlick (Morley)
Outs: Aaron Delaporte (not playing)
Pass Mark: This is another side that should be playing finals based on the ability within the side.
Prediction: Third
Cockburn
Cockburn started the season sensationally last year catching a few of the big boys by surprise to pick up valuable points. Such a strong start meant they avoided the relegation battle and didn’t really look too troubled although the last couple of weekends became more nervy than they thought they’d be. After such a bright start which saw them fourth at the turn of the year, the Roosters faded badly to comfortably miss the finals. While their 2015 form was encouraging their performances in 2016 are serious cause for concern. They cannot allow that run to continue if they want to ease clear of the drop. The side has been very stable over the off season and it would appear that this groups ability to challenge the best shouldn’t change. However whether they have they have the class to maintain such good form over the course of a season is the main question that will decide their fate. Cockburn must get off to a strong start and pick up points on their fellow relegation contenders. They are likely to struggle if they are made to chase. Automatic safety appears to be a bridge too far.
Ins: David Malkin (Innaloo)
Outs: nil
Pass Mark: Performing well at home will be the key – consistent play and avoiding relegation the aim.
Prediction: Ninth
Wanneroo
The Roos looked to be in danger at times in their first season back but avoided the drop in relative comfort by the end of the year. They have lost roughly what they have gained in the silly season this year meaning we should know roughly where they’re at. Howard Best comes in and takes the rink vacated by Allan Barron’s move while the experienced John Coles steps into a third position replacing Shane Loftus. This year looms as critical for the Roos with seventh and eight forced to fight for their positions this year. Whilst they were shown to be too powerful for White two years ago the sides below are improving and they won’t want to take the chance. A good start will be important. If they can secure some breathing space early then they should have enough to hold on but a poor start could see the in trouble. One of those sides who simply must beat those around them.
Ins: H Best (Kalamunda), J Coles (North Beach)
Outs: S Loftus (Yanchep), A Barron (not playing)
Pass Mark: Will be looking to build on last years result to be clear of relegation.
Prediction: Seventh
Kardinya
Several changes have been made to a side that barely avoided demotion on the last day last season, and with up to seventh in danger of falling back to the tier below they were needed. Louie Berteaux has skippered Premier League before at Innaloo and is a nice addition to the back end. The permanent return of Daniel Brown to the team is the sides biggest in and adds genuine punch to the side. The returning Geoff Gould will play third to complete a major overhaul of that area. On the other side of the coin Peter Cole, Dave Farley and Peter Wachmer have moved on to play at lower level clubs while Nathan Jones has moved to Manning. Overall their off season business is relatively positive. The side is certainly much deeper than it was this time last year but will it be good enough to avoid the drop? With seventh and eight having to fight for their spots against One White sides it’ll take a big improvement to steer the Kats to safety.
Ins: Andrew Daley (Manning), Louie Beurteaux (Innaloo), Colin Moore (Mt Pleasant), Otto Dawson (Manning), Daniel Brown (Returning Player), Geoff Gould (Returning Player)
Outs: Nathan Jones (Manning), Peter Cole (Warnbro), David Farley (Kwinana), Peter Wachmer (Fremantle)
Passmark: With a new look side gelling early will be a key. Staying in premier league a must.
Prediction: 8th
South Perth
Straight back up after a season in White the Millers return to the Premier League with a pennant to their name. They had a strong season last year in which they were undefeated against fellow standouts and runners up Stirling. Off season movement has shuffled their side up a little bit but the majority of their players from last years flag have returned. The Millers back end is as solid as it gets with depth throughout all four of their skipper and third positions. What will determine South Perth’s success this season is their front end. With their home ground advantage lessened by their new, kinder synthetic they’ll need to be on their game to give the boys at the back a chance against the more fancied sides. Even still this is a group that is not to be underestimated and its easy to forget this side was an end away from a Premier League pennant just three seasons ago when they lost to Victoria Park. Certainly the better credentialed of the two promoted sides.
Ins: C Kerr (returned), M McEwen (Yokine)
Outs: R Campbell (Interstate), V Santostefano (Claremont), T Alberti (not playing)
Pass Mark: Bounced back after a poor season strongly and would be looking to build. With the back end talent they have they’d be disappointed to be scrapping to stay up in a playoff
Prediction: Fifth
Stirling
When any side loses its two best skippers and a third then its going to struggle, let alone a promoted side. The Wolves come up looking worse for wear after a season in White and the losses of Trewhella, McIlroy and Butler will hurt a lot. Losing front end player Mike Browne and Chris Margin isn’t helping their chances either. It’s not all doom and gloom on the player front however. Former Saint Paul Kelly has shown a little bit of ability in his time their and Frank Carbone has been solid for a long time now however neither will fill the shoes of what has left. Subject to some big losses over the last two years it appears Stirling may struggle. Mick Marovic is forced to make his first appearance as a skipper in Premier League and will need to take to the role like a duck to water. Their round one encounter with fellow promote South Perth will provide a good litmus for this side and a poor showing would confine them to relegation in many peoples minds.
Ins: John Berecz (Innaloo), Frank Carbone (Manning), Michael Radalj (Innaloo), Paul Kelly (Osborne Park), Rob Amos (Wanneroo), Anthony Regan (Cockburn)
Outs: D Trewhella (Osborne Park), K McIlroy (Doubleview), M Browne (Doubleview), Chris Margin (Bassendean), Paul Butler (North Beach)
Pass Mark: Earning a shot at staying by making the challenge playoffs would be a pass
Prediction: Tenth
Summary: Cambridge, Osborne Park and Doubleview look the major players this year with Bassendean and Manning expected to fall off the pace but still capable of playing finals. South Perth can be a hit or miss side and Wanneroo could be the smokey if there is one. Stirling look the team most likely to struggle whilst Kardinya and Cockburn could also be in relegation territory during the year. Will our predictions be correct? – only time will tell.
To recap this is how we think the 2016/17 Men’s Premier League Ladder will look at the end of the season.
1st Cambridge
2ndOsborne Park
3rd Doubleview
4th Manning
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5th South Perth
6th Bassendean
7th Wanneroo
8th Kardinya
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9th Cockburn
10th Stirling
Information believed to be correct at time of publication.
