November 29, 2007
Another interesting round of pennants this week
Cambridge versus a vastly improved Bedford is game of the day.
Vic Park and Osborne Park Saints could also be game of the day
Sth Perth Millers Play the Wanneroo Express in a game that will possibly define which way The Millers are going, will it be moving up the ladder or moving back to One White
Doubleview PowerHouse will play Kalamunda, the main interest in this game will be how much the PowerHouse will win by
Cockburn should have an easy game against Melville Magic, will they get all the points just like the other Clubs have been getting ?
---Stuart Bainbridge , in action at at Bedford
Stuart Bainbridge is undefeated at this stage of the season and will be looking to carry on with another win against Cambridge
-----------ROUND FIVE 1st DECEMBER
----------------GAME OF THE ROUND
----BEDFORD BULLS v CAMBRIDGE KNIGHTS
C. Graybrook(sk) J. Gupanis , P. Healy, N. Watson
S. Bainbridge(sk) S. Rushforth, K. Burke, A.Mayer
Paul. Hunter (sk),N. Minchin , D. Scott, P. Hunter,
B. Fullagar (sk), B. Donovan, B. Radford, J. Carlsen
-------------------------versus
The Jones Boy (sk) T. Walsh, A. Heal, R. Bolton.
B. Katunarich (sk) M. McGann,C. McKenna,D.Irvin
T.Smallacombe (sk) N. Lewis,W. Maher, B. Kiely
R.Stockton(sk) C. Lander, G. Kane,H. Christensen
The main feature of this game is that it has three undefeated rinks participating and one rink that has won its last three games straight.
As that old song goes, "somethings gotta give, somethings gotta give" so !! who will give?
The Jones Boy has swept all before him with 4 wins, he has a settled side and the players in his rink really play for him, he is getting the best from his players and the results are there for all to see
Trystan Smallacombe is also unbeaten and another skip that can get the best out of his players while delivering the goods himself, this rink will take some beating.
Stu Bainbridge has not lost a game so far and has been great value for the Bulls since his arrival at the club 3 years ago, his rink is not a glamour rink, just full of hard workers doing their best to get the right result.
Cliff Graybrook has won his last three games straight and it is no coincience that it has happened since Jim Gupanis started playing three for him while Peter Healy has been good also, Neil Watson has been getting better with each game
It would be great to see these four sides play each other but that is in the lap of how the cards fall.
Bedford will be looking for a follow win from Bruce Fullagar, his rink is more than capable of winning against either of the other two rinks
Paul Hunter's rink sees the return of Neil Minchin which should give the side a big chance of winning
Ron Stockton's rink have gained some momentum since swapping Harold Christensen back to lead. Harold is one of the better leads in the Premier League. Stocky's rink have won their last two games, from here on they should always be hard to beat with a quality leader like Harold doing the job.
Harold Christensen Cambridge(pictured) a quality leader, has made a difference after a return to his leaders role
--------------------
Brian Katunarich's rink has managed a half point so far this season and would need to start winning games.
If Cambridge lose this game it would be hard to think of them as contenders for a final four place while a Bedford victory will almost save them from relegation even at this early stage of the season
6/2
-----VIC PARK REDS v OSBORNE PARK SAINTS
G. Wishart(sk), S. Knott,P. Long , G. Faulkner
R. Hughes (sk), T. Mitchell, J. Finlay, G. Quann.
R. Butler (sk, D. Florence, K. Beaglehole, G. Hiskens
J. Mitchell (sk), C. McNeil, S. Holt, D. Patterson
-----------------------Versus
G. Caffell, D. Rankin, P. Ker, J. Coleman.
B. Galloway. G. Evans, G. Nicol, F. DiGuiseppe
D. Trewhella, P. Caffell, Daniel Guelfi, D. Adams.
J. Goddard, I, Payne, G. King, D. Appleton.
A COUPLE OF CHANGES
Daniel Guelfi who, by all accounts, has been outstanding this year, and Daniel Adams make their Premier League debut both are in the same rink and will play for Daniel Trewhella.
It's good to see these young players get their chance
We wish them both all the best for tomorrows game
One might think the Saints have been derailed after two losses on the trot, however a 6 shot loss to the PowerHouse and a 4 shot loss to the Bulls is not the end of the world, the Saints have many better days ahead.
Vic Park are on struggle street with player depth their main problem. However they have three rinks that are making it very hard for the opposition
A couple of hilights in this game could be which OP side will draw Russell Hughes and which side will draw the unbeaten Jeff Mitchell's rink. The leader for Jeff Mitchell's rink, Young Daniel Patterson who switched from Bassendean would be delighted to be in a rink that has yet to suffer the pain of defeat.
I was not able to see the end of Daniel Trewhella's game last week so I can't say how his front three players went after I left but on what I did see, they will need to lift a cog or two, if they do I don't see a rink at Victoria Park beating them. RINK CHANGES IN DANIEL TREWHELLA'S RINK SINCE THIS WAS FIRST PUBLISHED
Bill Galloway and his rink who were well down against Bedford will be looking to carry on with good form after last week's huge win against the previously unbeaten John Slavich rink
7/1
---Sth PERTH MILLERS v WANNEROO EXPRESS
K. Pride (sk), Max Petrich Troy Kinnane ,T. Antonio
R. Bresland.(sk)G. White,F. Carbone J Cunningham
Nic Reagan (sk) S. Lunn, T. Percival M.Hughes
Scott Walker(sk) B. Bandy,Reg Neindorf, D. Stewart
----------------------versus
----------------
C. Adams (sk) W. Heldt, M.Hulbert, P.Potts
G. Ellis (sk), R. Humphreyson, P. Knight,S.Wright
N.Stevens (sk), Ron Bates, J.Carter, Russ Bates.
S.Davies(sk), T.Alden,D.Griffin,L.Johnson
At home the Millers are very competitive and I expect they will bounce back from last week and a win is not totally out of the question here.
Nick Reagan and his rink have been impressive and the word is around and about regarding this player and it is all good. He showed his ability in the game against the highly rated Matt Kurta who had to produce a sensational bowl to win the game against Nick
Scott Walker broke thru for his first win after a string of narrow losses and it might be the beginning of a great season
Ken Pride has been terrific at home on the carpet will be determined to erase the memory of last weeks game by bringing up his first win for the season.
There are a couple of changes to Ken's Pride's rink.
They being Max Petrich plays third to replace Kevin Howieson Howieson who will skipper in the 2nd division.
and Troy Kinane to replace Murray Piggot who is not available.
Wanneroo are now in second place on the ladder
The rink doing the most to bring Wanneroo to the position they hold on the ladder is that of Neville Stevens who have had two gigantic wins and from what I have heard the rink is running hot hot!!. They are well balanced and it will take some great bowls to knock them over.
Geoff Ellis and his rink are always hard to beat, when they get beaten is not by a lot
The side that has not fired is that of Clive Adams who have manged one win for the season, the stat sheet for the side is 1/3 - 17. Sometimes the stats dont reveal how well a rink is going when it is not winning, The Wizard's rink has lost against The Jones Boy, Jeff Mitchell, Lance Strahan. The first two mentioned have not yet lost a game while Lance has lost one game by a shot. The Wizard's only win has been against Jon Sharp and that was by one shot.
However this is what Pennants is all about, that is winning your rink against whoever you play on Saturday and this is not happening for Clive.
Maybe this week is the week for Clive and the rink to fire up.
6/2
--DOUBLEVIEW POWERHOUSE v KALAMUNDA
J. Slavich(sk) K. McIroy,R. Dempsey,J.Wholohan
D.Katunarich(sk),P. Buller,B.Gearing, C.Dunstall
J. Sharp (sk),L. Thorn, R. Barns, M. Mitchell
R. Ball(sk), B. Urquhart, J. Bausor, C. Slavich
----------------------VERSUS
N. Payne (sk) S. O`Neil, R. Hutchison, R Pringle
B. Brandsma (sk), J. Rollnik, T. Nattalotto R.Payne
N. Griffin (sk)B. Tie, M. Clancy, P. Nattalotto
M. Biglin (sk) F. Anderson, J. Wardrop, M. Douthie
The PowerHouse have made two changes to their line up for this Saturday. After round four we had earlier mentioned the side would be at full strength for the fifth round due to players not being available for various reasons to this point of time.
Some hard decisions for the PowerHouse thru the week as all players became available, meaning bad news for a couple of players.
Out of the side goes 331 game veteran Gary Papadopolous, Gary has been a fine leader for the PowerHouse, on the occasions I saw him play last year, he was brilliant in the Grand Final and extra good in the home and away at DV playing Bedford. Is it the end for Gary Papadopolous, can he force his way back into the top 16 ?
Looks like the current group of young leaders leaders in the side will have to keep on top their game or ......Gary could be back
Danny Slavich was the other player to drop and he has usually been one of the first casualties of any shuffle of players to go out of the side. He has been pretty steady for the PowerHouse and has a Premiership Medal to show for his efforts last year. He will find it hard to regain his place this season in such a talented team.
Last Year Kalamunda beat Doubleview at Kalamunda, a win that played a big part in their survival from demotion, also they took 2 points out of their first game. Can Kalamunda do the same again. The rest of the competition would hope so.
To be realistic it is hard to imagine that a side like Doubleview with players like Dennis Katunarich and Robbie Ball (who would be State players if they made themslves available) , and Jon Sharp who is a State Skipper could lose to Kalamunda, who have not one player in the State squad.
John Slavich has really got some power with Ross Dempsey selected in his rink playing as a two, Demo is one of the best in the competition in that role.
The PowerHouse have an embarrasment of player riches that make them the envy of the competition and could easily replace four players in the side and not notice the change.
Kalamunda appear to have fallen back to their previous unpredictable and unreliable form of last season. It is hard to understand how they could have lost to the Bulls who are not as strong as last season. Kalamunda had the home ground advantage, were in good form have let themselves down badly.
However all is not lost with the continued good form of Mitch Biglin's rink while we can expect Neil Payne to bounce back.
Billy Brandsma and Neale Griffin are capable of better things. The PowerHouse 16 are the strongest 16 in the competition but we remain hopefull that Kalamunda will push them all the way.
8/0
---MELVILLE MAGIC v COCKBURN ROOSTERS
K.Cousins(sk)B.AlexanderGMcCormackP Simonetti
C. Fleay (sk),R. Kennedy, A. Keating, J. Birch
S. Hughes(sk),Mel Randall , J. Spadaro, H. Mosford
N. Brieley (sk) T. O'Meehan , R. Ireland J.Andrews
------------------------versus
S. Srhoy(sk), N. Fitzgerald,I. Jakovich, S. Vassalio
D. Brown(sk) L. Richardson, J. Ravilich, P. Novak
L. Strahan(sk) G.Carberry, S.Cerff, J. Galipo
M. Kurta(sk), M. Zusman, M. Sokol, S. West.
Cockburn are not traveling as well as I thought they might be, there is a lack of consistency by the Roosters this season and some players are not performing to the standard they are capable of .
From a Cockburn perspective this is a game they should get all the points, but I have doubts that they will.
Melville can take some comfort about Steve Hughes rink drawing last week and that skipper Cameron Girvan is back from holidays .
Sherro is not aware of the Melville team placings for this game. It is hard to make a case for Melville who have managed only 2.5 rink wins this season
7/1
