Well here we go round 1 of the 2023/24 premier league season and should be another exciting year ahead, Manning on their quest to go 3 in a row, Joondalup come up for the first time and Bassendean back on the main stage after a couple of years in white. Some clubs have gained and some have lost but there has been plenty of player movement and let's have a closer look at the fixtures.
JOONDALUP v MOUNT LAWLEY
JOONDALUP
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MOUNT LAWLEY
C Bessant, A Elmer, J Bessant, G Herriot
D Trewhella, C Green, P Sinden, T Ingram
D Rowland, K Cornell, L Kelly, C Ruwoldt
P Jones, P Park, A Graham, K Scott INS: P Jones, D Rowland, D Trewhella, A Elmer, C Ruwoldt, T Ingram OUTS: A Jones, P Callison, M Masel, M Bessant, C Lander, A Einfeld
Joondalup with a home game first up taking on Mt Lawley who survived their first year in the comp and recruited quite nicely in the off season signing up WA skipper Daniel Trewella who played a major role in Manning going back-to-back, with Phil Jones former state pairs winner from York will also be a very handy recruit. Joondalup with no Jimmy Buchanan for the main part of the first half does hurt the home side but a big test for them first up it’s the visitors for me
Mt Lawley 6-2
SORRENTO v NORTH BEACH
SORRENTO
C Lander, R Cunningham, S Buckley, G Murray
R Butler, S Loftus, M Sharrett, P Morgan
B Eagles, M Hulbert, P Crow, G Taylor
P Knight, P Augustson, P Flack, S Mortimer INS: C Lander, P Augustson, S Loftus, S Buckley, P Morgan OUTS: J Landman, D Daley, P Bradshaw, A Elmer, M Douglass
NORTH BEACH
G Crosthwaite, R Aitken, T Jones, B Fielding
J McGinlay, S Richards, R Dempsey, T McMahon
C Margin, J Clayton, G Yabuka, B Palfrey
M Douthie, J Bartorillo, G Devenish, L Mola INS: R Aitken, B Fieldin, T McMahon, J Bartorillo, B Palfrey OUTS: M Sweeney, N Costello, J Carlsen, B Gillingham, P Walker
Sorrento will be looking for another solid season ahead and sees the return of some very handy players in Chris Lander and Shane Loftus, alongside with former WA and Qld rep Rhett Butler and the fine wine himself Bruce Eagles the boys will be looking for a good start to kick off their season. For Nth Beach who hung on by a whisker from relegation last year have had a bad off-season losing players such as Sweeney, Gillingham and Walker just to name a few. Still plenty of experience in McGinley, Douthie and Margin alongside Jerome Clayton who was runner up in the C of C singles which will keep them competitive but at home Sorrento should be too strong
Sorrento 7-1
CAMBRIDGE v BASSENDEAN
CAMBRIDGE
C Harris, S Rushforth, A Garlick, G Allen
B Nairn, M Sweeney, N Lewis, L Bolton
C Adams, B Gillingham, D Jones, P Potts
P Harris, A Drayton, L Strahan, J Conway INS: B Nairn, P Harris, A Drayton, M Sweeney, J Conway, B Gillingham OUTS: W Manning, R Bolton, G Hawkes, D Leeson, S Buckley, N Bolton
BASSENDEAN
D Rhodes, J Krstic, R Ellis, L McKay
R Kenyon, M Whitely, B Roper, B Tie
S Alden, T Kinnane, T Antonio, M Watson
W Neilson, L Pike, G Stokes, D Snelgar INS: D Rhodes, B Roper, T Kinnane, T Antonio OUTS: J Holman, N Kirkup, T Lynch, D Killisch Von Horn
The Lions winning a thriller last year to regain their spot back into premier and will have their hands full as they head to Cambridge to take on the knights. While some very handy recruits in Tom Antonio and Troy Kinnane coming over to the Den from Sth Perth, their experience will be more than welcome. David Rhodes comes back in to take a skippers role after a couple of years in Blue. Cambridge looked to have recruited the best in the off season with Mick Sweeney and Brad Gillingham from Nth Beach, also country players Andrew Drayton and Jamie Conway. Pieter Harris comes back to join teammates Blake Nairn and Clive Adams, if anyone could stop the Manning hattrick it could well be these guys
Cambridge 7-1
OSBORNE PARK v DOUBLEVIEW
OSBORNE PARK
G Caffell, ???, G King, C Alberti
J East, K Pickering, A Pasalich, C Biddle
S Mawdsley, T Alberti, T Weir, T Massang
R Brown, S Pasalich, D Marsland, K Carr INS: ???, T Alberti, C Alberti, T Massang, D Marsland OUTS: J Goddard, M Rollings, R Lawrence, S Loftus, N Stevens
DOUBLEVIEW
A Williams, A Wetzler, G Faulkner, M Hansen
C Slavich, R Bates, B Willesee, G Nelson
R Moyle, B White, B Griffiths, B Pearce
K McIlroy, T Whitfield, S Cerff, L Thorn INS: B Griffiths, M Hansen, G Nelson, L Thorn OUTS: J Slavich, S Scott, D Cosgrove, S Gosstray
Another heavyweight battle with 2 teams that will feature at the pointy end of the competition. The Saints while losing Packer and Loftus have gained the likes of the Father and Son combo Ty and Callum Alberti and from Mossman Park Tristan Massang and Dale Marsland. For the View they welcome back Kyle McIlroy who competed in the NSW competition last year as he takes the reigns over WA legend John Slavich who we are unlikely to see until after Xmas. Plenty of beef at the back end for both sides and how will the Saints go without the leadership of Cody Packer only time will tell but im just going to go the away side with a sneaky 1 rink win
Doubleview 5-3
MANNING v SOUTH PERTH
MANNING
S Knott, N Jones, A Lill, J Angel
T Mitchell, M Wunnenberg, M Kemp, S O'Brien
W Hyatt, D Downey, A Heal, J Butler
C Packer, B Butler, P Ker, J Titheradge INS: J Butler, J Titheradge, C Packer, M Wunnenberg OUTS: D Trewhella, M Walker, L Grigg, N Rees
SOUTH PERTH
R Bresland, R Havercroft, M Sear, J Galipo
S Walker, M Biglin, N Griffin, S West
G Pauling, J Carter, L Moretti, D Angell
J Opie, P Davies, J Wardrop, J Percival INS: N Griffin, J Galipo, R Havercroft, S West, L Moretti, J Carter OUTS: T Alberti, T Kinnane, T Antonio, C Alberti, D Brown, L Such
Match of the round and it will feature a replay of the last 2 grand finals with Manning looking to make it 3 in a row. Newly crowned Australian singles champion Cody Packer comes in to take the reigns over departing skipper Trewhella and new recruit state pairs champion Mark Wunnenberg also brings plenty to the table. WA state reps in Shane Knott, Dave Downey and Blake Butler alongside with Tommy Mitchell and Will Hyatt will make them tough to beat again. For the Millers it will be a very different line up from what we have seen in previous years with the loss of some big names but plenty of experience coming up from blue with a lot of premier experience over the years. Scott Walker returns to the skippers role after a very good performance in the side series along with Pauling, Opie and Bresland did beat Manning twice on their home ground last season which will give them a lot of confidence, but I think the Eagles will be too strong on this occasion.
