Australian Indoors Preview

by Cameron Harris on August 17, 2018

Five West Aussies in the field Five West Australians will take to the carpet at Tweed Heads, NSW this week in a bid to become the Australia’s Indoor Singles Champion.
All players will kick off with their first games on Monday in a straight-up knockout tournament, meaning players will need to be on the ball from the first bowl.
Theoretically the best West Aussie chance is Manning’s Shane Knott, who’s career best form over the past two years has seen him granted the number six seed in the men’s draw.
Knott has been a Rosenthal Medal finalist the last two seasons and is the only West Australian to receive a seed and will play his opening game against Tasmania’s Danny Neal.
Should he win he will play a mate in the next round with fellow West Australian Clive Adams and former Manning team mate Matt Ellul doing battle in the corresponding round one match.
Adams is no slouch in singles having recently come third at the National Champion of Champions in Darwin, while Ellul has gone from strength to strength since returning to Victoria, culminating in an Alley Shield victory as a skipper for his native state.
Rounding out our men’s chances is Stirling skipper Cam Hoffman. Hoffman impressed in a Stirling side that was relegated this season and was in fine form to win his way through the qualifiers in May.
He faces a stern test first up with the very experienced Steve Halmai who has played in countless major tournaments, including the indoor, over the years.
Other major men’s chances include defending champion David Ferguson, Canadian Ryan Bester and Australian squad members Aaron Teys and Ray Pearse.
In the women’s event Safety Bay’s Irene Arndt goes over with a plethora of strong singles performances in the last couple of seasons, having made successful or strong tilts at all major singles titles.
She takes on Australian squad member Chloe Stewart in her opening game which should prove a good test on the national stage.
Western Australia’s other representative is Shirley Johnstone from Victoria Park. She’ll face Queenslander Jane Bush in her first foray into national level bowls.
Key women contenders include defending champ Rebecca Van Asch, two-time Australian Open champion Ellen Ryan and Commonwealth Games dual Gold Medallist Carla Krizanic.
Bowls Australia will be live streaming matches every round via Rinkside Live on Facebook
Full draw and results can be found at the Bowls Australia Competition Portal
Article by Cameron Harris