Swoopy Synthetics – Can They Make the Difference
In our fourth preview we look at clubs that have two of the best home ground advantages in Premier League. Both Kardinya and Safety Bay are difficult places to go because their big turning synthetics can get into people’s minds and make things difficult to those unaccustomed to them. Can either side win enough away to challenge? Let’s take a look.
Note: Information believed to be correct at time of Preview but may change prior to Round 1.
Kardinya
In: Paul Davies (Leeming), Kevin McKay (Armadale), Dave Rankin (Doubleview), Daniel Brown (Returning Player) John Rochford (Mosman Park), Dinko Golem (Stirling), Brad Henley (Melville)
Out: Nil
First 9 Fixtures: DV (H) Warn (A) SP (H) Sorr (A) OP (H) Mor (A) Mann (H) Cam (H) Bass (A)
Kardinya have had a fantastic off-season picking up a number of strong players who will play key roles in the season ahead. Former players Daniel Brown and Kevin McKay return to the club after a period of absence. Both were skippers during their last stint at the club and both are likely to take that role again. Another recruit likely to have a rink is Dave Rankin. The WA rep is fresh off skippering his way to a flag with Doubleview but will now move closer to home with the Kats. With three skippers coming in Kardinya’s back end will be strengthened significantly. Paul Davies, Dinko Golem and Brad Henley all have experience skipping as well at their previous clubs but where they’ll line-up for Kardinya this year remains to be seen. No outs to this stage either means a club that already had impressive depth (their second team is in 1st White) has gotten even stronger.
One of Kardy’s biggest advantages is their green. Despite having been in Premier League for some time now many teams do still get caught out under the Kardinya shades. Incredibly wide and very easy to find lots of little holes on local knowledge of how to play the green gives Kardinya a big boost. Traditionally they have found the going a little tougher away but in the years they’ve made finals they’ve gotten over that to win at any venue. How the inclusion of Warnbro will affect them will be interesting to see. Warnbro have one of the more similar surfaces in the state to the Kardinya green and may give some clubs a bit of extra practice. In terms of their draw they have a month where they play Manning, Osborne Park and Cambridge all away in the second half of the season. If they see that out with no problems, then nothing will worry them.
Classification: Finals/Premiership Contender
Kardinya are right on the borderline between finals and the flag race. If this side plays to its full potential, then there is every possibility that they could be right in the mix for a premiership. However, there are a few pieces of the puzzle that are unproven and how the final side will look is unknown so we aren’t willing to stamp them as a 100% contender just yet. That being said don’t be surprised if we see this group right at the top throughout the season. Kardinya have a tendency to make the finals every other year. They’re due this year and every time they get a step a closer. Certainly expect an improvement on last year’s sixth place.
Safety Bay
In: Nil
Out: Nil
First 9 Fixtures: Sorr (H) VP (A) MP (H) OP (H) Leem (A) Mun (H) NB (A) Gos (H) Mann (A)
After a lengthy spell in the top flight it all came crashing down for Safety Bay in 2015/16. It’s been a wonderful response since then though, returning to the big time first time of asking in 2016/17 and not only holding onto the spot but finishing safely in sixth last year. It’s a huge credit to a club who seemed like its star was finally falling. They’ll bring an unchanged side into this season’s campaign, which makes sense given its relative success. The biggest challenge Safety Bay is likely to face is the same one that many of their competitors are facing. How long will their best players last? Like a lot of Premier League teams, Safety Bay have experience on their side but are getting older. When a lot of the side is in a similar, older age bracket you do run the risk of falling over the side of a cliff very quickly. It looked like that had happened in 2016 but the subsequent seasons seem to have shown that to be just a blip. However, the Safety Bay ladies will have to work hard to make sure they stay at the peak of their powers.
Safety Bay will surely be delighted to start the season with three home games in the first month of the competition. It will give them a great chance to start the season and pull away from the sides we expect to be in and around them. Safety Bay is still a tricky place to go with a quickish green and some interesting wind patterns to deal with. However, the flip side of that is that they face a daunting run of four out of five games away from home after the Christmas break. This is due to the ninth fixture being played in the new year. It’s not just any five away games either. They’ll play Manning, Sorrento, Osborne Park and Mosman Park in that run who all have claims as finals contenders this coming season. They do have a slightly better run to finish the season but this looms as a make or break stretch in the Safety Bay season.
Classification: Mid-Table/Demotion Fighter
There’s nothing to suggest the sides below Safety Bay will make significant ground on them, however given the age profile of their side it would be silly to not count a relegation scrap among the possibilities. Safety bay have shown over the past few years that they are well and truly in that bottom half pack and could see themselves slip very quickly if not careful. That being said their home ground is a big advantage and a great evener against the top sides in the division. This should see them pick up some points others might not get. Their form against the rest of the bottom half will be critical to shaping their fortunes.
