TOPIC:

A bit early being only 1 round into the season, but some interesting Rd 1 results gave us a bit of insight to how the season might play out: My ladder predictions for end of season below, will be a tight top 7 with daylight between 7th and 8th: Post your predictions and compare.

1. Swan Ath
Have recruited well and always have strong mature bodies around ground. A telling Round 1 win against a good Wanneroo side at Wanneroo shows they will be hard to beat, especially at home

2. North Freo
Showed last year that there best is very good, depth has improved and will be very strong this year. Woewoden in charge has brought interest and players back to the club.

3. Kingsway
Shock loss at home in round 1 with lack of leg speed the issue. Too much WAFL experience not to finish in top couple of teams. Tight congested games that will come during winter will suit them.

4. Wanneroo
Huge club that would be disappointed with how they went last year, have recruited well and will bounce back this year. Disappointing round 1 loss at home but they were versing a very good team in Swan Ath.
How they will function without MrM is the real question.

5. Collegians
Great away win in round 1 against good opposition, will need as many wins as possible early before July holidays come along. Always have a young, fit group that will win its fair share, but will drop games they should win as well.

6. Hammersley-Carine
Hard to judge after a poor A-grade season last year. Are always competitive in b grade and will be around mid table knocking on the door of the top 5. 10 goal loss to North Freo at Gil Fraser doesn't tell us much about how they will go this year.

7. Mt Lawley
160 point win in round 1 against Kelmscott tells us nothing, haven't recruited well so won't improve much on last year, if at all. But with 2 McKinlay brothers up forward will always be dangerous and will win its fair share.

8. Maddington
Will struggle this year coming up from C-grade, but an easy win over Stirling in round 1 shows they are ahead of Stirling and Kelmscott in a fight to avoid relegation. No colts side shows where they are at as a club.

9. Stirling
Won't fire a shot this year, will win 2 games against Kelmscott and thats it. Straight back to C-grade

10. Kelmscott
Will go winless as a club for the year across all teams, will do a double drop in consecutive years. Have learnt a harsh lesson that paying players is a temporary solution.

Nice Analysis Colon.

Which team are you going for? my guess is the grape pickers.

I look forward to proving your ladder wrong. and all our colts are in Juvi but will be back next year when my lawyer gets them out of the can.

Fair dinkum you reckon Maddington will struggle? Look forward to that

Not too sure about your username Colonel Clink, (people who hide behind fake monikers online aren’t trustworthy at all) however I do like the premise of your write-up. I encouraged online predictions and I got one.

I think you are on the mark with all sides assessments, but I think the order will change a fair bit, let’s not forget Collegians should be playing A Grade. If not for a player who missed the lot from 35m directly in front, they would be.

From what MrM heard Swan Ath lifted in the last quarter and Wanneroo faded due to no bench. (Truth? I have no idea! Perhaps people are making excuses early, I hope not!)

So Wanneroo without MrM seem to be doing just fine, as MrM never had the legs to run out the warm-up lap let alone a full 25 minute quarter.

I'll probably be well out, but I have come up with:

Swan Ath
Kingsway
Nth Freo
Collegians
Wanneroo
Hamersley Carine
Mt Lawley
Stirling
Maddington
Kelmscott

Will be interesting to look back at this come years end. Going with:

Collegians
Kingsway
North Fremantle
Swan Ath
Wanneroo
Mt Lawley
Hamersley
Maddington
Stirling
Kelmscott

I'm a bit like you Casual Observer, here goes my list:

1: Swan Ath
2: Kingsway
3: Collegians
4: Kelmscott
5: Nth Freo
6: Wanneroo
7: Mt Lawley
8: Maddington
9: Stirling
10: Hammersley Carine

Interesting prediction Torpedo, wouldn't Kelmscott have to have a team show up to play to challenge in the ladder though?