Welcome to Div 1 Blue South for season 2023/24 The season sees the return of teams from Kardinya, Victoria Park, Thornlie, South Perth, Fremantle and Forrestfield Hard to believe that just 10 points separated these 6 teams on the ladder at the end of last season They will be joined by Warnbro and Kalamunda who were both relegated from Div 1 White and Dalkeith Nedlands and Rockingham both promoted from Div 2.
So it promises to be another entertaining season and all the best to each team.
SOUTH PERTH v KARDINYA
SOUTH PERTH
M McRae, D Calvo, T Percival, J Terrell
S Kelly, F Anderson, M Petrich, G Bovell
D Mortley, W Bezant, D Reagan, R Negus
P Holmes, G Reagan, O Dawson, K Pride INS: P Holmes, W Bezant, T Percival, R Negus, G Bovell OUTS: J Carter, J Galipo, N Griffin, R Havercroft, S West
KARDINYA
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>> Some big changes to the South Perth side from last season with a few players promoted to the SP Premier League team Despite this it still looks to be a very capable and talented team on paperVirtually the entire team has had Premier League experience in recent times and this will make South Perth a strong finals chance this season. Peter Holmes returns to the club and he will start back in the Skipper’s role.
Yet to see the Kardinya team so difficult to assess their chances this season
SP look too strong at home
South Perth 7-1
KALAMUNDA v VICTORIA PARK CARLISLE
KALAMUNDA
I Cornthwaite, D Park, B Farrant, D Connell
W Olive, A Bartlett, S Anning, M Thomas
D Wooltorton, G Trevaskis, G McDonald, R Pringle
B Brandsma, M Gill, A Brandsma, M Clancy INS: A Bartlett, M Gill, A Brandsma, D Connell, R Pringle OUTS: J Morss, M Potente, V Hughes, I Quayle, P Keating
VICTORIA PARK CARLISLE
G Wishart, P Keeffe, R Johnson, J Hiskins
L Such, G Beckwith, G Williams, G Archell
J Jermalinski, P Long, C Simms, M White
D Florance, M Simms, P Freund, C McKay INS: L Such, J Hiskins, G Williams, C Simms OUTS: D Eastcott, L Beurteaux, M Adams, R Gilbert
Match of the round at Kalamunda
I have Kalamunda as pre season favourites to gain promotion On paper a very strong team and probably a bit unlucky to come down from White last season Led by state player Bill Brandsma and now joined by his son Andrew who is also a talented young player Vic Park are also a very strong team and are also a great promotion chance lead by Graeme Wishart Recruit of the year in Lee Such will make a huge difference to their team Such has been doing his skippers apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Daniel Brown at South Perth in recent years He will be raring to go Will have to go with the home side though
Kalamunda 6-2
DALKEITH NEDLANDS v THORNLIE
DALKEITH NEDLANDS
L Richardson, R Moran, R Kelly, J Shaw
M Saunders, M Green, S Gazia, T Allen
J Morgan, M Zusman, D Fitzgerald, P Jeanes
A Foster, D Redeckis, I Day, M Joyce INS: L Rochardson, M Green, S Gazia, D Fitzgerald, I Day, M Joyce, T Allen, J Shaw OUTS: J Brown, A Gryta, K Macpherson, R Donald, K Green, P Collins, J McCormack, J Brown
THORNLIE
R Carruthers, J Stean, P Riggio, A Payne
N Holden, M Forrester, E Hogarth, P De Meuse
E Gollan, G Vaughan, J Thorn, A Williams
M Yates, M Separovich, C Penaluna, D Cooper INS: R Carruthers, J Stean, M Forrester, M Separovich, E Hogarth, J Thorn, A Payne OUTS: P Pohe, D Slade, H Collins, R Bowron, S Ocello, J Coolen, M Stacey
DN start their return to One Blue at home However things are not going to be easy for the coming season and to use racing parlance they are up in grade. Thornlie chairman of selectors Michael Yates back in his favoured skippers role for this season in what looks like 7 changes from the team that finished last season and will be interesting to see how the side performs Rob Bowron is a big loss after some good results in 2022/23 Yet to see the Dalkeith team however a look over last season’s results shows they had a strong 16 win season and should be competitive at home. But need to go with the experience of Thornlie despite the large number of team changes
Thornlie 6-2
WARNBRO v ROCKINGHAM
WARNBRO
J Radford, M Jaworski, B Taylor, L Kellow
T Dellar, K Cousens, B Regan, D Kimberley
B Kalinowsky, D Watson, T Goodman, D Fitzpatrick
Dr G Jackson, A Henneker, T Ball, P Hartnett INS: J Radford, M Jaworski, B Taylor, B Regan, T Ball, A Henneker, D Fitzpatrick OUTS: K Bancroft, D Wagstaff, K Meehan, J Pattullo, F Hannah, A Shone, D Kitson
ROCKINGHAM
B Edwards, K Tremlett, I Wright, T Rubery
R McIlveen, P Villa, I Barrett, S Wales
M Devenny, L Atkins, G Roberts, R George
M Simpson, S Currie, D Poole, K Fyles INS: P Villa, I Barrett, S Wales OUTS: T Threlfall, W McIlveen, J Lethlean
Warnbro look to have recruited well with Barry Kalinowski an important pick up and straight back to the Skippers position They also have 7 changes to the team that finished last season in One White and will be interesting to see how the new team can gel early on Rockingham also fresh of a successful 2022/23 season but will find things tough starting off the season with an away match at Warnbro Not too far to travel but a very difficult venue to come away with the win Have to go with the home team
Warnbro 7-1
FREMANTLE v FORRESTFIELD
FREMANTLE
D Golem, J F Stewart, B Ciccotosto, F Pensabene
S McCormack, B Wright, J Pensabene, E Lacy
B McCarthy, K Atkins, S Shuttleworth, J Yukich
P Wachmer, S Hewett, N Gaspar, N Mulligan INS: B McCarthy, K Atkins, S Hewett, J Pensabene, S Shuttleworth, F Pensabene, E Lacy, J Yukich, N Mulligan OUTS: P Holmes, M Starcevich, T Krajancic, J Trigwell, M Ngui, J Smith, M Conway, J Hall, J Chessell
FORRESTFIELD
J Weppner, C Holland, A Keegan, F Gore
B Barnfield, M Garner, J Forrest, J Parker
R Tillemans, M Vatri, L Stedman, L Delcaro
R Cummings, T Tillemans, R Carr, G Tillemans INS: J Parker, L Stedman, C Holland OUTS: G Tibbles, B Wicks, P Armstrong
Another great clash to start the season Both teams finished close together on the ladder at the end of last season and this should be a tight contest Fremantle appear to have made 9 changes to the team that finished last year. There are some significant outs and the quality of these players will be hard to replace. Seems an incredible changeover but they still have some experienced players headed by Dinko Golem and Peter Wachmer Forrestfield have made 3 changes from last season and look to have a talented back end Even though a home game for Fremantle they may well have the edge in this match given the massive overhaul to the Fremantle team