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ONE BLUE NORTH REVIEW

January 14, 2008 ROUND NINE REVIEW

WHAT IF ?

We are now at the half way point of this season’s competition and if the situation stays the same as it currently lies we will see:

Wanneroo automatically promoted to One White

Doubleview, Sorrento, Stirling & Warwick playing off for the second promotion.

Scarborough staying put.
Morley, Osborne Park, Bedford & North Beach all relegated to second division.

In North Beach’s case it would be relegated on inferior percentage to Scarborough and that would be bowls cruelty at its worse. Likewise Scarborough would miss the playoffs by a single point.

When you think that we play 72 games (18 X 4 Rinks) throughout a season, that a side finishing 7th would be relegated on percentages is ludicrous. I sincerely hope that this does not occur because it immediately smashes the integrity of this new system.

Promotion/relegation when properly applied should be about rewarding teams that are too good for their current playing division or are uncompetitive in that division. It should not have been introduced to overcome the previously flawed promotion system.

In a ten sided competition I think two relegations and two promotions is ideal.

Personally I do not think this system of dropping 4 teams will last for an extended period because it has the potential to destroy clubs particularly the smaller clubs or established clubs such as Bedford & Melville who are in a re-building phase.

If club administrators and observers of the game already believe there is too much player movement between clubs then I advise that under this promotion/relegation system “you have seen nothing yet”. North of the river the Osborne Park’s, Doubleview, Yokine, Cambridge & Wanneroo clubs will be the huge winners whilst south of the river I envisage Victoria Park, South Perth & Cockburn will also see young talented players join their ranks because they do not want to play second division or any division beneath their ability.

After the dust settled on Round 9 Warwick emerged as the big winners having removed themselves from the relegation zone for the first time this season to 5th place courtesy of a home win against North Beach.

Warwick 101 (6) (5th) def North Beach 69 (2) (7th)

Brian Friend continued on his rampage with a 32-13 mauling of the rink skippered by John Coles and Warwick Skipper Giuffre took Merv Potter apart to the tune of 32-14.

L. Giuffre Warwick (pictured) Skippering for the fourth time in the One Blue side recorded his first win against Nth Beach on Saturday

Geoff Devenish continued his good form with a narrow win and Mike Vitale also returned to the winners list for the visitors.

Doubleview 86 (6) (2nd) def Osborne Park 66 (2) (9th)


Doubleview were far too strong on two rinks with Jason Wholohan relishing his return back to this division as a skipper recording his second successive big win.
This week he accounted for Ken Sutcliffe 31-11 whilst the divisions most successful skipper Gary Nelson also had a convincing 24-11 over Ron “Daicos” Francesconi.
Eddie Johnson lost two in a row (which is rare) whilst Winton Langdon’s two wins from nine starts and a -53 is not consistent with a side sitting easily in second spot. In his defence he did play Osborne Park’s “Chalkey” White who has been in very good touch.

Stirling 104 (7) (4th) def Scarborough 70 (1) (6th)


The shuffling of rinks certainly worked to Stirling’s advantage on Saturday. Stirling bounced out early and was never threatened by the visitors.


Tony Krajancic, Stirling (pictured) Gun skipper leads the way for his club in their endeavour to win promotion


The pairing of Tom Norac playing third to Tony Krajancic and Dinko Golem playing third to Mark Pasalich was an outstanding success as you would expect. Alan Erceg did extremely well in his first game as skipper with a solid win over Steve Stokes.

Brian Axford salvaged a point for the “seagulls” with a win over Andy Tucker.

Scarborough’s four skippers met back at “Seagull” headquarters’ afterwards. I did not go back on Saturday due to family commitments but they tell me after nearly two hours of discussions Ron Kuziela & Barry Powell both asked to stand down as skippers (in the short term at least).

Michael & Tim Murray will replace them with Barry playing third to Michael and Ron to myself. I did not particularly want to skipper this year but when I was advised Ronnie was in the same team my enthusiasm for the job went up ten fold. Ron is a very gifted player but a little low on confidence at the moment.
I am sure he will rediscover that confidence and will be back skippering soon. I would gladly play third for him.

Sorrento 86 (6) (3rd) def Bedford 75 (2) (8th)

John Hammond came out and showed why he is one of the leading skippers in this division. After suffering a rare thrashing last week he led Sorrento to a solid win with a 33-17 win over Graeme Campbell (a good winner the week before).
With John Brown accounting for David Crook 24-17 it set up the “Swans” win. Dave Scott and Mike Browning both pinched a point for the “Bulls”.

Wanneroo 104 (7) (1st) def Morley 72 (1) (10th)

The “Roos” continue to dominate the competition with Echo Widermanski and Mike Broad both recording crushing 30-14 victories.
How things occur in lawn bowls is always a sense of amazement. In round 1 this season Wanneroo won on one rink against North Beach but took the aggregate 5-3.
Morley won 7-1 against Osborne Park and has not won since. Hence, Wanneroo are on top and Morley at the foot of the ladder.

My selections for this week

Scarborough to defeat Bedford
Wanneroo to beat North Beach
Doubleview to account for Sorrento
Stirling too classy for Warwick
Osborne Park too good for Morley