The dawn of a new season is upon us and the fight for the 2022 Bendigo Bank Western Border Football League premiership cup starts this Saturday.
The 2021 season was all about resuming old rivalries and returning from the COVID-19 break, while this year will be focused on gathering momentum to get back to full steam ahead on and off the field.
Teams have worked hard over the summer months either addressing issues, heading in a different direction with a new coach and revamped playing squad, or fine-tuning preparations to launch a full-scale premiership tilt. Saturday will be judgement day if teams have nailed their preseasons and can push on or be forced to go back to the drawing board.
But one massive wildcard in the 2022 deck is COVID-19, with strict isolation rules posing the threat of wiping a team out of nowhere.
Millicent v South Gambier
There is no disputing where the match of the opening round is taking place as the grand finalists of 2021 brace themselves for war once again.
Despite 197 days passing between the final siren of the previous season and kick off in the next, the feelings from the final Saturday of September will still be strong.
Even after winning the flag for the second time in three attempts, Millicent has a point to prove. The club’s latest attempt at a premiership defence could not have gone more horribly wrong.
This time inspirational coach Clint Gallio is hanging around to maintain his team’s proud record and will be at the forefront of a stacked midfield featuring other names such as Tom Hutchesson, Jacob Carger and Sam Willis.
But the man this group fed so much footy to last year will not be circling the goals this time.
After being the second man to kick 100 goals in a single season of Western Border A Grade football, Gene Robinson has packed his bags and left the region hunting new challenges.
A Robinson-sized hole inside 50 will be impossible to fill overnight with a handful of Mitch Reilly and youngsters Frazer Bradley, Zac Bradley and Jaxon Cushion could possibly asked to take on the role.
But the big story will be in the midfield as the Saints give a warm welcome back to one of their favourite sons Hutchesson.
Drafted as a mature-aged recruit, the midfielder’s AFL career for GWS was curtailed by hamstring injuries and he hopes to get back to doing what he does best and showing the Western Border world a glimpse of the top level.
With so many positive stories coming up for the home side, Gallio is looking forward to the big occasion.
“It will be a pretty cool day being able to fly the flag in front of the home crowd at a grand final rematch,” he said.
“It will test us and we will be able to see where we are at. Both sides will get stuck in and we are all looking forward to it.”
The Demons are also an incredibly settled line up and appear well placed to launch another offensive to reach a third successive grand final.
Only Dion Stratford and Oscar Adams headline the list of significant departures for the club which crushed the 2021 minor round season.
New names to look out for include James Propney, Brody Virgo and Josh Will, who can be expected to settle into the squad quickly.
But two familiar faces will be circling the goals like sharks and they showed some ominous form in preseason.
South’s twin towers Brayden Kain and Brodie Foster are coming back to cause more defenders’ nightmares.
McLaughlin Park is a venue that holds mixed memories for South fans with the corresponding clash last year kicking off an exciting season in grand style before the side showed its first signs of weakness by being battered into submission by the hosts in torrential conditions.
As the entire town gathers at McLaughlin Park to unveil the new premiership flag and welcome back an old friend, the Demons would love nothing more than to crash Millicent’s party.
East Gambier
v North Gambier
Nothing gets the blood boiling quite like an East Gambier v North Gambier clash and the old foes will lock horns again to start the 2022 season in style.
Both sides enter the new year with new personnel calling the shots with Matt Scanlon returning to the top job at the “Kennel” replacing the departing Matt Willson, while Ben Hardy joins Tigerland from the big smoke.
However, the squads have taken contrasting approaches.
After many experienced heads departed, the Bulldogs have turned a new page and will take a greater focus on development fostering the next generation.
The injections of Frazer Scanlon, Garrett Ha and Carl Slape have bolstered the average age, but the shift towards the future has been openly admitted by the club and the new game style could take time.
Meanwhile, the Tigers hope their list is in the sweet spot for another premiership tilt with the same names including Justin McConnell going around again.
It will be interesting to see if Hardy’s city-based background will have a notable impact on the settled team straight away, but the new coach quickly discovered the East-North rivalry which was dominated by the Bulldogs last year until September.
“The first time Justin drove me down Commercial Street and was talking about the different clubs, he made it very clear there was a big rivalry with East,” he said.
“So it was ingrained in me very quickly and if we can shut down their run early we will be a big chance.”
West Gambier
v Casterton Sandford
Two teams looking to take big giant strides in 2022 will be eyeing off a critical win to start the season.
West Gambier and Casterton Sandford arrive at Malseed Park determined to regain the finals spots they lost last year.
The Cats have landed some big signatures on and off the field and could unveil a fresh playing style which coach Kane Forbes hopes can guide him to a maiden A Grade win.
Enjoying the home ground advantage are the Roos, who could face a bit of a scare as they adjust to life without Tom Holmes, Steve Wenman, Todd Lewis and Dwayne Phillips.
A lot of attention will be focused on Daron McElroy, who will move the markers for the first time and looks to make an impression against what could be a rejuvenated Cats side.
