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ONE BLUE NORTH SEASON PREVIEW

October 31, 2007
As a new season fast approaches I have to say from the outset that the new (or should I say old) system of relegating (4) four teams leaves me perplexed. In the previous two years I have been an outspoken critic of only one side being promoted from One Blue North & South therefore making the finals an exercise in futility.

However, I did not think in my wildest dreams that we would move to the other end of the extremity whereby it is a distinct possibility we will see competitive and competent sides relegated with an even win/loss ratio. Well, as Ned Kelly is credited with uttering just prior to his hanging “Such is Life”.

Teams in alphabetical order:

BEDFORD
With the departure of so many players from their Premier league side Bedford will have to call upon the players that would have represented them in this division to move up. It may be a big ask for players below this division to step up but who knows. With change come opportunities. That having been said, I wish them well but think they may struggle.

DOUBLEVIEW
Will be a strong outfit in this company but like most other clubs in this division are no certainties in any game. They have a good blend of youth and experience and are well led by club stalwart Eddie Johnson, along with Gary Nelson, Winton Langdon (Ashley Sharp leading for him) and J. Wholohan.
I think they will finish in the play offs.

MORLEY
I think they did very well to stay in this division last year and will be competitive again but someone has to finish in the bottom four and I believe Morley are in danger of being one of them.

NORTH BEACH
Not sure what the make of “the Beach” this year. I don’t know whether Max Kitto is returning to play this season or if Derek Bowen is rejoining after a trial at Wanneroo. What I do know is they cannot afford to have a very good player like Ed Retallack playing in their second side no matter how well intentioned it is. In a very even competition they will be in the mix.

OSBORNE PARK
Sure to be one of the main chances in this competition. They have an abundance of depth and are the strongest all round club in Western Australia by a fair margin.

SCARBOROUGH
One of the sides relegated from One White last year but will not find this division any easier. Scarborough has many outstanding individual players and will welcome 23 year old Michael Murray as a new skipper. The challenge for this team is to distribute the workload evenly and not be over reliant on individuals to ensure the team wins.

SORRENTO
Have been “robbed” in the last two years when finishing second on both occasions. Will field a very strong side for this division and will give promotion a very good shake. Having played with them for one of those two years I know their strength lies in being a very even side from lead to skipper across the four rinks. Throw in the class of an Ian Linford (who should have been snapped up by a premier league club years ago) and you have the making of a potential premier.

STIRLING
A very strong side and strengthened further with the addition of Dinko Golem who has departed from the strong Dalkieth club recently.
They will probably start the season as a warm favourite to win the title in this division. I think they will be strong, bearing in mind Stirling finished top in second division having the highest points of any club with a 118.5 points tally, one small downside was they were beaten by the fourth placed side, Osborne Park, and will not get it all their own way.
However, a definite premiership chance.

WANNEROO
Will again be a solid team in a very even contest. If they win the close ones they will survive, if not, they are in trouble.

WARWICK
The other team that was surprisingly demoted last year from One White last year. A look at the statistics showed that some teams did not know how to lose “small”. Too often defeats were in the twenty to thirty shot margins making it impossible for the other three rinks. I think they will bounce back and be a force in this division.