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And we are back…
The festive season is done and dusted, the eskies are finally empty, and the bowls are dusted off. Not sure how the fitness programs held up over the break — a few of us might be carrying an extra kilo or two — but the appetite for competition is well and truly back. Strap in.
Wanneroo v Cambridge
Wanneroo
Leslie Bryson, Noel Davey, Martin Nievelstein, Derek Griffin
Gary McKenner, Gareth Hughes, Wayne Clegg, David Anderson
Glen Jack, Robert Burns, Kyle Rayner, Kingsley Toster
Gregory Sarich, Eckhard Widermanski, Harold Whitman, Pieter Geus INS: Rayner OUTS: Denny
Cambridge
Andrew Ness, Bruce Ride, Alistair Duncanson, Peter Easom
Keith Granger, David Sladen, Geoffrey Jones, Garry Hawkes
Mark James, Lindsay Brown, Clifford Wooldridge, Stephen Buckley
Robert Gauntlett, Phillip McShane, Nicholas Parker, David Foulsham INS: Ride, Duncanson, Gauntlett, Brown OUTS: Bolton, Phillips, Manning, Leahy
The Knights roll into Roo Town knowing they need a serious turnaround in the second half of the season if they want to stay in First Division. They pinched a massive win over the ladder leaders before Xmas and would’ve hated the timing of the break just as they found some form.
Wanneroo sit 3rd after a passable first half, but with the pack chasing hard they know just how important this one is. They’ve been strong at home all year and Cambridge have only managed 3.5 rinks away from home — which tells its own story.
Home deck, home crowd, home advantage.
Mount Lawley
Denham Delmore, Mark Glasson, Guy Herriot, Enda Munnelly
Lisa Bowden, Stephen Connell, John Cottier, Andrew Jones
Mick Palumbo, Ian Watt, David Morris, Michael Erceg
Nathan Walker, Michael Chappell, Carmelo Lenzo, Laurence Kelly INS: Herriott, Palumbo, Morris OUTS: Scott, Miles, Smith
The Mounters head to Noranda to face a Mavericks side that’s shown flashes of potential but still finds itself stuck in the bottom two. Like Cambridge, Morley need to start banking wins quickly if they want to stay in touch with the chasing pack.
Mount Lawley sit 2nd but haven’t been entirely convincing — struggling on the road and just scraping home in their last outing. However, the inclusions of Herriot, Morris and Palumbo add serious steel and depth.
This is the sort of game top-two teams simply have to win.
No teams in yet… surely there should be a fine system for this?
The Brook Boys have taken a few scalps this year and proved they can mix it with anyone at home. A draw away at Sorrento last time out and a home win over the Mounters shows they’re more than capable.
Quinns haven’t quite lived up to the pre-season hype, but I’ve got a feeling they’ll sneak this one and kick off 2026 with an away win.
No logic. Pure vibes.
Quinns 6–2
Warwick v Sorrento
Warwick
Wayne Wyatt, Andrew Dixon, Bernie McNamara, Raymond Loran
Colin Shier, Wayne Archibald, Clive Boyle, Geoffrey Hinge
Gary Chappell, Dean Herbert, Allan Hornby, Sean Wright
Heath Berryman, Stephen Hurley, Ivan Sparrowhawk, Glenn Yabuka INS: Wyatt, Archibald, Herbert OUTS: Wilson, Shand, Smith
Sorrento
Geoff Hollingsworth, Coral Smith, Brad Marshall, Ronald Rogers
Wendy Flack, Lily Leach, Alan Walton, Brad Wicks
Alan Anderson, Pauline Bourne, Ricky Hutchinson, Richard Bone
Steve Jenkins, Paul Ramsey, Stanley Lindsay Baker, Ian Linford INS: Smith, Hollingsworth, Anderson OUTS: Fleiser, Murray, Konig
Warwick were humbled at the Stable last start and will be keen to remind everyone who they are after the break. Sorrento are wobbling - outs at the top have filtered right through the grades and they’re in danger of sliding.
Word is Bintang Yabbie worked hard on his fitness in the off-season (allegedly), so expect him to be flying and Warwick to stay in touch with the leaders.
Warwick 7–1
Bassendean v Yanchep
Bassendean
Phillip Hutchinson, Brooke Chaney, Jovan Krstic, Grant Stokes
Norman Kirkup, Shane Colegate, Nolan Hall, Butch Dinnison
Nick Pleasance, Joel Hitchcock, Geoffrey Malaspina, Neil Strachan
Saffronne Alden, Wayne Davidson, Ted Alden, John Holman INS: Malaspina, T Alden OUTS: Neilson, Sadler
Yanchep
Wayne Evans, John O'Brien, Anthony Passeretto, Daniel Hartzer
Russell Drury, Mark Jones, Chris Street, Patrick Daley
Daniel Ellyard, David Hitchman, Teora Turua, Brody Dix
Leon Smith, Stephen Hyde, Tamara Arnold, Callum Arnold INS: No change OUTS:
We finish at the Den where the Lions host the ladder-leading Rose Brigade. The reverse fixture was a demolition job, but Yanchep are a very different animal away from home.
Bassendean have been hot and cold but on their day they’ve got serious depth and plenty of match-winners. I reckon they just sneak home in a cracking contest.
Wouldn’t be shocked either way.
