Player gains - Shane Sterzl, Michael Tomlinson, Wade Hutchesson (Mypolonga), Sam Braidwood (Mount Compass), Shane Lindsay (Imperials), Daniel Murray (Mypolonga)

*****

Imperials on road to redemption

THE talk on the streets is that Imperials have re-signed Tyson Wait for the 2009 season.

Wait who lined up with the Blues in 2007 and played the odd game in 2008 is committed to the cause for 2009.

If you had to engrave a name on the cup before a ball is bounced, it’s hard to past Imperials.

The players that have departed had minimal impact, but with the inclusion of Wait, the recruitment of Jamie Honnor from Tasmans in Port Lincoln and the great unknowns in Boyd and Zeb Kenny will bolster the Blues.

The return of the great man ‘Leo’ Seyers coming off a year with the Peake ‘Gorillas’ where he would have picked up a few bad habits, most of them after midnight, is an interesting inclusion.

Henry Hodge and Roger Puckridge are coming off serious injuries and will resume as the season progresses.

Ryan Eyre, Ryan Edwards, Daniel Girdham and Jason Puiatti are pretty handy players and they have some good young players emerging in Ben Quast and Matthew Kowald.

For the last 10 years Imperials have always had the gun forward who could kick a hundred goals, that is a Robert Cichowski or a Brad Shiell.

In 2008 they had no go-man up forward.

Imps have covered last year’s weakness with its inability to kick winning scores and I am putting the rent on them to lift the premiership and salvage Tony Fielke’s reputation of choking in finals.

President - Shane Snell

Coach - Tony Fielke

Mail Medallists since WW 2 - N Weibricht 1947,

1948, R Hutchinson 1949, 1951, W Lipp 1950, E Smelt 1952, L Stone 1953, T Williamson 1978. G Zadow 1984, 1986, D Hicks 1988, B Lienert 1995, 1999.

Premierships since WW 2 - (14) 1946, 1948, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1999, 2002.

Position finished in 2008 - Third

Player losses - Craig Kempe (Mypolonga), Jason Roberts (Westminster), Leigh Ward (Flagstaff Hill), Ricky Morris (Callington), William Canard (Barossa Districts), Kane Tonkin (Happy Valley), Robert Matthews (Central Augusta), Simon Dreckow (Hahndorf), Shane Lindsay (Jervois), Damien Garrett (doubtful)

Player gains - Boyd Kenny, Zeb Kenny (Paskerville), Mathew Seyers (Peake), Clint Cellinger (Cummins Ramblers), Luke Pope (RSMU) Thomas Wingfield (Centeral United), Tyson Wait (Port Adelaide Magpies), Jamie Honnor (Tasmans)

*****

Winds of change blowing at Mannum

THE last time Mannum supporters were this excited was back in 1956, the year of the flood.

That year the hotel got flooded and there was a mad scurry to shift the stock to higher ground and they needed some volunteers in a hurry.

New coach, new players and plenty of enthusiasm.

David Dolheguy is the man in charge and he is currently preaching the creed of no train, no play.

This is an admirable ethos, but come mid season he would not be the first Mannum coach to throw himself on the sword.

They are a club on the rise because they have quite a few promising juniors ready to step up to senior football.

Rhys Bullard, Sam Schlueter and Jarred Woodward are coming along nicely.

Throw Brad Wakefield, Andrew Warnest and Ben Quinn plus their 2008 recruits in Paul Sarno, Shane Harte and Josh Gould and they have the nucleus of a fair side.

Dolehguy has already started the mid games by announcing the retirement of “Shovel” Maloney, but he forgot to tell “Shovel”.

Mannum need to beef up their forward line, they need to find some help for that clever forward Quinn.

Gould has a point to prove after an injury riddled 2008 and he could be the answer if he remains sound.

There is a question hanging over their recruiting for 2009.

Justin Hentshke is a player with SANFL experience, but the mail on him is that he is not the player he used to be.

Aaron Hockey and Mark Mueller are an unknown quantity at the minute and time will tell if they are up to the mark.

Mannum are on the move, but can they run the distance?

President - Jock Krause

Coach - David Bolheguy

Mail Medallists since WW 2 - C Wakefield 1954, D Haythorpe 1967, L Adams 1990, D Buckley 1991, D Krollig 1994, M Marchetti 2001, B Quinn 2002, D Zadow 2003.

Premierships since WW 2 - (4) 1949, 1955, 1956, 2003.

Position finished in 2008 - Five

Player losses - Aaron Robinson (Salisbury North), James Kerrin (Freeling), Daniel Smith (Smith Gawler), Shannon Blythman (Goolwa), Matt Connolly (retired)

Player gains - Michael Rander (Norwood under 19), Mark Mueller (Ardrossan), Justin Hentschke and Aaron Hocky (McLaren), Jarrad Allen (Goodwood Saints), Andrew Smithson (Karoonda), Andrew Grillett (Wallaroo), Greg Garrard (Kadina), Jake Schutz (Birdwood), Christian Koch (Ramblers)

*****

Do not write off the Roosters

WITH at least five, possibly six, of last year’s premiership side missing, Ramblers has to ensure their gun players play as any games as possible.

Three key players in Daniel Zadow, Clint Girardi and Tyson Matthews are the players in question, but recent history suggests that Zadow and Girardi only play half a season while Matthews could not get through the grand final.

Matthews is the best small defender in the competition, but these days in his new business venture at the German Cake Shop, he appears to be eating into the profits.

If these players can hold up, Ramblers will be around the mark.

They have a penetrating midfield with Patrick O’Neil, Troy Cowland and the strong man Ryan Viney, but without Mark Marchetti it may lack that ability to deliver accurately and hit the target.

Their rucks, led by Ty Pfeiffer and backed up Alex Mason, will do the job.

The big man Adam Jackson takes the role as the key forward.

“Jacko” is a big unit, but he can not do it alone and needs Girardi and the small forward Jarrod Weyland to assist him.

The global financial crisis has hit the Roosters as they are going with young players in 2009.

The nucleus of a good side is still there with Liam O’Neil to lead the charge, but without those book-ends of Ryan Morris and Luke Button they can not go back to back.

Let’s hope it is not back to slack because you can’t replace players of that quality.

Injuries will decide their season as they lack depth in their reserves.

President - Stephen Wray

Coach - Anthony Weyland

Mail Medallists since WW 2 - R Liebelt 1974, B Cybulka 1975, B Paech 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, D Ridgway 1987, M Smart 1998, R.Morris 2007, L.O’Neil 2008.

Premierships since WW 2 - (9) 1950, 1951, 1971, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987. 2008.

Position finished in 2008 - First

Player gains - Joshua Wall (Hahndorf), Corey Swanson and Rory Gilbert (Tailem Bend)

Player losses - Daniel Matthews (Imperials), Ryan Morris (Central Augusta), Luke Button (Sturt), Ryan Paech, Eli Koch (Karoonda), Dwayne Groves (Tailem Bend), Christian Koch (Mannum), Lloyd Jackson (Bakers Creek, QLD), Ben Dougall (doubtful), Ryan Bretag and Jarrad Sykes (doubtful), Mark Marchetti (injured)

*****

Tigers on the prowl this season

THE Tigers lost the grand final by 36 points last year.

After the game they returned to their clubrooms and devoured a record number of lamb roasts, and felt pleased about their finals efforts.

The brains trust led by the gravedigger James Zadow knew 2009 would be challenging, as Joe Pedler was not going to be there along with his brother George and Jedd Dunbar.

They needed to go out and find a couple of gun players to replace them.

All eyes will be the Tigers this season as they line-up in round one against the Roosters in a grand final rematch with their two high profile recruits from North Adelaide in Brett White and Josh Coulter.

Both are professional footballers just coming off a season with Nightcliff in the NTFL so they should hit the ground running.

Damien Cross had the Tigers playing their best football at the business end of the season.

His challenge this year is to keep the Tigers focused and not rest on last year’s laurels.

He has a strong forward in Brad Martin who finished 2008 with 89 goals and with White to beef up the midfield he could go close to cracking the ton in 2009.

James Pedler is the spiritual leader at Mypolonga.

They love him out there, he might look like an orange roughy, but do not be fooled by that.

The Tiger’s defence is there Achilles heel, and if their opponents are able to move the ball quickly forward they could be exposed as they look a bit slow and cumbersome.

Joe Pedler is the insurance, if Joe comes back and qualifies for finals the Tigers will take on a whole new dimension.

President - James Zadow

Coach - Damien Cross

Mail Medallists since WW 2 - W Martin 1951, J Klienig 1977, K Dinon 1978, G Wright 1979

Premierships since WW 2 - (4) 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994.

Position finished in 2008 - Second

Player gaines - Nathan Bolt (BSR), Craig Kempe (Imperials), Brett White and Josh Coulter (Nightcliff - NTEL), Scott Jolly, Mark Tootell, Allan Retallick (Peake), Scott Arnold (Central Districts) Player losses - Matthew Wynne and Matt Moran (Torrens Valley), Brendan Corrie (Christies Beach), Sam Flinn (Bridgewater), Scott Taylor, Kyle Booth, Kane Paech, Rhys Jordan (Karoonda), Trevor Clothier (Callington) Sean Oatway (Marble Range). Daniel Murray (Jervois), George Pedler, Joe Pedler and Jedd Dunbar (doubtful)

*****

Eagles must take the next step

IT was a vast improvement in 2008 with five wins, but they need at least nine wins to play finals in 2009.

They have picked up a quality big man in Shane Comer who has represented the Southern Districts zone team and played with South Adelaide.

Tailem Bend’s favourite son Mervyn Kartinyeri returns.

He has won three mail medals and been runner-up in two, and I reckon he is the best player I have seen in the RMFL in the last 20 years.

He sold his soul for a few pieces of silver in the last two seasons, so the question that remains hanging over his head is, is he as good as he was now reached senior citizen status.

Tailem Bend badly needs a go to forward and Lawrie Rankine could be the answer.

They no longer run a couple of pies out to Lawrie during the break.

He has got himself into pretty good shape, he has worked hard during the off season and I would expect him to make some impact as he has plenty of ability.

Dylan Hogarth is an aggressive young man who throws himself into the fray; combine him with Brad Bell, Damien Raidis and Tony Lynch and the Eagles are a big chance to play finals in 2009.

Nine wins will be the magic number that coach Mathew Dent will be aiming for, and it’s not unrealistic.

President - Todd Downs

Coach - Mathew Dent

Mail Medallists since WW 2 - A Skuse 1950, H Enthoven 1952, B Lokan 1958, B Cybulka 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, T Connolly 1976, N Hartman 1989,

M Hunt 1991, R Wilson 1992, M Kartinyeri 1997, 2004, 2005, D Dumsney 2004.

Premierships since WW 2 - (14) 1947, 1954, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000.

Position finished in 2008 - Sixth

Player gains - Lawrie Rankine (Meningie), Michael Kropinyeri (Hamley Bridge), David-John Hills (Wingfield), Mervyn Kartinyeri (Ironbank) Bruce Carter (Karoonda), Matthew and Dwayne Groves (Ramblers), Mathew O’Brien (Cove), Jason Marks (Marion), Rick Berling (Lameroo), Shane Comer (Noarlunga), Simon Wanganeen (CY Cougars), Matt Collins (Glenelg under 19s)

Player losses- David Anderson, Craig Smelt, Mark Bongioro (Karoonda), Luke Shane (Port Broughton), Josh Herbert (Macclesfield), Jeremy Stagg (Peake), Ashleigh Bastian (Brighton), Corey Swanson and Rory Gilbert (Ramblers)

*****

The Bears looking to climb up

IF they let the seawater into the Lower Lakes, Meningie could become the Gold Coast of South Australia.

I can visualise white pointer sharks swimming around the canals down there and taking a bite out of locals Trevor Mitchell and Roger Hurle.

Meningie did not bother the scorer much at all in 2008, but things are happening around the club, which is promising.

Two of the club’s favourite sons return.

Rodney Cunneen returns from Roxby Downs, while Brad Biddle comes back from South Mildura.

Cunneen will bolster the midfield while Biddle, who is a big unit, will give some presence in the goal square.

They have picked up Stuart Ferenci from Andamooka, who comes with a fair reputation as a representative player from the Woomera Football League.

Mark O’Leary, from North Gambier, should have no trouble slotting into a spot in the midfield.

It is not all doom and gloom at Meningie, they have some good young kids coming through, but to make any improvement they have to make their home ground their fortress and make it as difficult as they can for every visiting team.

They have to make the visitors earn the victory.

Jamie Gibbs will be out to make them competitive and if they can keep their expectations reasonable and aim for five wins they will be awkward opponents.

In the words of Wayne Carey they are a work in progress.

President - David McKechnie

Coach - Jamie Gibbs

Mail Medallists since WW 2 - W Sanders 1958, 1960, D McKechnie 1989, K White 2000

Premierships since WW 2 - (1) 2001

Position finished in 2008 - Seventh

Player gains - Stuart Gerenci (Andamooka), Rodney Cunneen (Roxby Miners), Wade Eatts (Kimba), Matthew Howell (Adelaide uni), Brad Biddle (South Mildura), Joshua Benbow (Tea Tree Gully/Norwood under 19s), Mark O’Leary (North Gambier), Michael Arbon (Lock/Norwood under 19s), Lalo Kartinyeri (Jervois)

Player losses - Lawrie Rankine (Tailem Bend), John Derrington (Border Districts), Jack Lewis (Adelaide uni), Nicholas Rowe (North Clare), Josh Pratt and Ben Pratt (Blyth/Snowtown)