Written by – Peter Doherty (Daily Advertiser)
Marrar Bombers
Back-to-back flags aren’t unheard of at Marrar and with the club celebrating 100 years, coach Shane Lenon wants players to rise to the occasion.
ARRIVALS: Brad Langtry, John Hoey, Zach Walgers, Matt Hort
DEPARTURES: Jordan Matthews, Geoff Spriggs, Chris O’Donnell, Josh Suckling
2017 FINISH: Premiers (and minor premiers)
The Bombers open the home-and-away season against Temora, and will close it against North Wagga. In between, they’ll be reminded of what it means to be the reigning premiers. Of what it’s going to take to rise to the heights of those celebrations again. And of what it is to be a part of history at a club that’s been around for a century.
Marrar’s centenary was a carrot to bring Brad Langtry home and a handy ace up the sleeve in ensuring players would recommit after last year’s success. At the same time, their losses have been limited, while the arrival of players with Riverina League experience, Matt Hort, Zach Walgers and John Hoey, keeps them moving.
The pre-season included losses to Collingullie-Glenfield Park and Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong, suggesting work to do. But Lenon said they’ve been able to look at new faces, and avoid injuries.
The Bombers’ 2017 win was testament to their depth and ability to overcome adversity, and they’ll likely need both again in 2018.
2018 PREDICTION: Runners-Up
Temora Kangaroos
Jake Wooden leads a vastly-changed line-up in his second season at the club but they still hold high hopes.
ARRIVALS: Charlie Boyton, Mitch Haley, Angus McRae, Ben McCalman, Josh Maniscalco, Max Harper
DEPARTURES: Brayden Ambler, Daniel Hespe, Stephen Camp, Sam Jackson, Kane Peeters, Brendan Goesch
2017 FINISH: Runners-Up (second on ladder)
The Kangaroos were only a kick away from a premiership last year but there’s the sense of having to start all over again.
Uncertainty has been one of the only certainties of their off-season. As well as the confirmed departures, they’re resigned to being without forward Matt Harpley and the emerging Colby Poole due to knee reconstructions, while Robbie Drummond and the Reid brothers are unlikely to play, and Tim Mcauley is only a possible addition.
But they do have strong foundations: a grand final-winning under 17 team last year, and the backbone of a strong senior side including mids Sam Jensen and Kieran Shea, defender Charlie Vallance, and Matt Wallis once he overcomes a pre-season hamstring injury.
Coach Jake Wooden admits one of their strengths – their depth in on-ballers – has taken a hit but believes they still have the top liners to match any side, and that they will find the right combinations.
Teens Lachlan Leary and Will Reinhold are potential stars and new forward Mitch Haley and midfielder-forward Charlie Boyton have also pleased the coach.
2018 PREDICTION: Fifth
CSU Bushpigs
Brayden Ambler, Nick Wright, Will Stewart, Joe Stapleton and Louis Miller
After an exciting off-season, new coach Pat Noonan has the task of making sure CSU take the next step.
ARRIVALS: Joe Stapleton, Brayden Ambler, Louis Miller, Nick Wright, Will Thorp
DEPARTURES: TBC (clearances have gone in for Tennyson Vance, Alex Reilly and Tom Jeffery to play at home but they are anticipated to be back at the Bushpigs)
2017 FINISH: Seventh
CSU again have a delayed start this season, with the bye first up helping a club which has to start pre-season late.
But with Pat Noonan keen to build on the Bushpigs’ improvements over the last two years, they did get the ball rolling early this year, with a mid-March practice game against Wodonga Saints, and a big win to boot.
They also took on Wagga Tigers in a pre-season hit out. They went down, but it showed the seriousness of their approach at a club which had picked up new assistant coach Brayden Ambler, as well as the big signing of key position player Joe Stapleton, who looks the real deal with NEAFL experience at the Swans. The follow-up arrivals of Louis Miller, Nick Wright and Will Thorp were also important, in adding varied experience to what’s usually a very young list.
Noonan wants the Pigs to play to their strengths, bringing pressure and speed. And they do have height this year. They’re almost certain to improve on last year but, in a very even comp, whether they can improve enough to ride the challenges of the uni calendar, and find the wins to climb into the five is still a question.
2018 PREDICTION: Seventh
Coleambally
It looks like a year of rebuilding for Coleambally under new co-coaches Mitch Carroll and Tom Groves.
ARRIVALS: Joel Crowhurst, Dillan Mcgillivray, Tom Clarke, Jess Spencer
DEPARTURES: Chris Cerato, Michael Griffiths, Shaun Light, James Fallon, Brandon Mathews, Nathan Jones
2017 FINISH: Eighth
Coleambally will head into the season as underdogs, and almost the forgotten team this season, after a quiet off-season.
But after least year petered out in disappointing fashion, co-coaches Mitch Carroll and Tom Groves are hoping the club can inject some pride and improvement into the club.
Carroll, who has been training but at this stage isn’t planning on playing, said Groves will be the on-field leader. He, Graham O’Connell and recruit Joel Crowhurst (ex-Leeton-Whitton) will be their key midfielders.
But the losses include James Fallon, Chris Cerato and Shaun Light, as well as last year’s coach Michael Griffiths. Former league medallist Dean Pound remains an unlikely prospect to play after a shoulder operation at the end of last year and an ongoing knee concern. Brendan Hardy will fill the ruck role.
Carroll said they are looking forward to seeing how promising youngsters Jack Cullen and Chris Hayes fare while Tom Clarke and Jesse Spencer from Griffith show promise. With a tough opening two weeks, the Blues will know where they stand before a double bye.
2018 PREDICTION: Ninth
East Wagga-Kooringal
EWK have come along quietly under new coach Matt Hard but still boast a list with a formidable reputation.
ARRIVALS: Nic Curran, Harry Fitzsimmons, Joe Banks
DEPARTURES: Billy Carey, Mitch Castles, Nathan Scott
2017 FINISH: Preliminary Finalists (Fifth on ladder)
The Hawks have flown under the radar a little in the off-season, with Matt Hard going about his business fairly quietly since taking over from Gavin McMahon. He inherits a team that defied expectation to get to the preliminary final last year, after three straight grand final appearances prior to that. While there haven’t been any huge announcements, Nic Curran, Harry Fitzsimmons and Joe Banks are all potential improvers following their move to Gumly.
The Hawks also have some promising players they will be hoping can step up to the mark, and Hard has made no secret that their pre-season preparations have been about trying new combinations.
While there haven’t been too many Hawks headlines, a team that boasts Nick Hull, Ben Absolum and Chris Gordon leading the way, is going to present a formidable challenge.
That said, there are still challenges. Not least of those is the paths to goal, which has been problematic since the departure of Marc Geppert. However, Brocke Argus knows the way, and Hull is a huge headache for defenders when he goes forward, which is always an ace up their sleeve.
2018 PREDICTION: Third
