IMPERIALS coach Tony Fielke always has his team beautifully prepared for the opening game of the season.
Tim Richards always has his team beautifully prepared for the last game of the season. Many may say the “greatest” Tim Richards has gone, but that’s not quite true, because rookie coach Sam Mahony will be texting him every 10 minutes seeking his advice.
Once upon a time the “greatest” used to bring a man a feed of mullet; now Rick McGowan the Sturt coach has cut my lunch, and he ends up with it.
Mahony will not be concerned about Saturday’s result.
While Fielke will be trawling the internet seeking new superlatives for the Blues, Mahony will be counting off the weeks to September 13, grand final day.
The wraps come off new Jervois ruckman, Encounter Bay’s 2007 best and fairest, Jason Bayliss.
It may take him time to adjust from the pedestrian pace at Encounter Bay and the same goes for Chad Beard, their new gun forward from Happy Valley, who comes with a big reputation.
Jervois have the class through the midfield with quality players in James Jagodnik, Zac Ewer, Brad Schmidt and Trevor Rigney.
Their defence, led by Russell Jarvis and the big man James Lyons, the pace of Jack Kluske and Craig Fidge, and the finishing skills of Mahony and Beard, they are going to be hard to beat, especially at home.
Imps’ recruits are unknown at this stage. There are big wraps on Josh Charles. from West Adelaide via Walpeup/Underbool, likewise Kane Tonkin, from Happy Valley, and Daniel Girdham, from Kadina.
The Kadina recruit is a bit of a worry as they bring jam and scones in at every change in that competition.
Tyson Wait is absent, but his best mate Roger Puckridge is a tough little player who doesn’t take a backward step.
The Blues have got some good young players who have played a season or two of senior football in Sam Redden, Ryan Edwards, Ryan Eyre, Jason Puiatti and Matt Gogel.
They have all done the preparation, but Jervois have got the wood on them at this stage.
The late mail says Jervois are under done, Imps have done the work and in game one you can just about put the rent on the Blues to reverse last year’s grand final result. Imperials by 11 to 20 points.
Ramblers v Mannum
The old Mannum swagger has returned.
It now takes two hours for every player to walk from the Mannum Hotel to the Mannum Club.
They belted the suitcase out of South Gawler in a trial game and then invited Kevin Rudd to toss the coin at the first home game.
The return of James Smith would be enough for coach Lee Adams and all the members to wet their pants.
Smith is a star; he is a match winner and a very rare commodity.
The great unknown about Mannum at the moment is the quality of their recruits.
Paul Sarno, Josh Gould, Daniel Smith and Ben Lambert are allegedly of the highest quality, but many times in recent years high quality recruits have gone to water in big games.
Let’s not forget this will be the biggest crowd they will ever have played in front of.
The great man Justin “Shovel” Maloney is back from Karoonda but he is a year older and a year slower. Ben Quinn is a clever small forward who has added another string to his bow.
He is in demand as a guest speaker and currently ranks with John Howard and Wayne Carey for value for money.
Throw in Andrew Warnest, Brad Wakefield and some quality juniors coming through and this club has now got some depth.
Mannum are in terrific shape at the minute, but Ramblers won’t roll over.
They have some class in their midfield with the “half-man half-ox” Ryan Viney.
Ryan Morris has had a good preparation representing SA Country last week and Matt Connolly will find him a fair handful if he goes forward.
Adam Jackson and Clint Girardi are the big marking forwards, and if Jackson is fit and injury free he could rip the league apart.
Liam and Patrick O’Neil are back and Mick and Cynthia are worth five goals from the hill.
The players I feel sorry for are the “brick with eyes” Daniel Zadow and Mark Marchetti.
Both Mail medalists, both former Mannum champions, both super players, but I reckon they jumped ship too early and come Saturday night they will like what they see and it will be wrapped up in green and gold. Mannum by 11 to 20 points.
Meningie v Mypolonga
The Tigers’ coach Damien Cross has adopted the humane approach against Meningie.
He has instructed every senior player to bring a bottle of water and tip it into Lake Albert.
It won’t raise the level a lot but it will have put more water in the lake than our politicians have in the past 12 months.
The Bears, and the town itself, are going through tough times and the community needs this football club to fire up and give them something to get excited about.
The Tigers are excited because Joe Pedler, James Pedler, George Pedler and Aimee Pedler all head to Meningie for the opening round.
Young Max Pedler makes his first trip down.
The Tigers are cock-a-hoop at the minute.
They creamed Nairne-Bremer by 50 goals in a trial, but who doesn’t.
Jed Dunbar lines up for his first game, but apparently he is not fit.
Brendon Corrie is a goal-kicker from Woodville South and his job will be to assist Brad Martin and provide an alternative forward option.
Corrie has plenty of cartoons tattooed on his body but he has a fair canvas to cover as he looks like he enjoyed a lovely Christmas.
Cross will be looking for his regulars in Sam “Errol” Flinn, Cameron Wells and Brad Martin to bury the Bears and build some percentage.
Nathan Creaser is a handy young player and we all await the return of Joel Eckermann with some anticipation as he was traveling nicely until he suffered serious injury last year.
You underestimate the Bears at home at your peril.
Jamie “Bomber” Gibbs will be trying to get his side off to a flier.
They have picked up a ruckman in Jack Lewis, a former club junior who has returned home.
Josh Robertson, from Border Districts, comes with a fair reputation along with Robert Payne via Sturt under 19s.
The “Bomber” will play a heap of kids and they will have a crack for about half a game. Good luck Bears, but I reckon if you get within a 100 points of the Tigers that’s as good as a win.
Mypolonga by plenty.
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