WOORINEN v SWAN HILL
Greenham Park won’t be the only venue with significant interest surrounding it this weekend, with plenty of onlookers expected to venture to Tigerland to see the new look Swan Hill in action on Saturday.
Despite the departures of Matthew Wade and Xavier Moloney, there is still an air of expectation surrounding the Swans, with a new coach and several big name recruits giving the Swan Hill supporters hope that a return to finals action could be just around the corner.
Former Melbourne and Port Adelaide midfielder Jimmy Toumpas is the biggest of those names, while senior coach Michael Herlihy and key forward Ned McKeown are also expected to have a major impact in the maroon and white this season.
Just how Swan Hill fare without Wade is the biggest unknown however, with the three-time Jack Betts Medallist leaving a massive hole in the Swans engine room that could well prove impossible to fill.
The Swans will also face a massive test first up against a Woorinen outfit who will be determined to bounce back from last year’s straight sets finals exit, and a team who is also set to improve in 2024 with the return of former Tigers Arnold Kirby, Clayton McCartney, Tom Langford and Josh Stone.
The return of Kirby will likely see Lachie Gardner play as a more permanent forward this season, who along with Will Collicoat, McCartney and Stone, should prove too much firepower for Swan Hill to handle first up.
Tip – Woorinen to win by 20 points.
TYNTYNDER v COHUNA
With new coaches and a strong recruiting campaign, both Tyntynder and Cohuna will go into the new season full of confidence when the two teams meet Saturday afternoon.
Both the Bulldogs and Kangas have been among the most talked about teams when it comes to this year’s big improvers. For Tyntynder, the recruitment of powerful Jayden Magro and the return of explosive onballer Marcus Wattie has given their supporters hope that a better season awaits, while Cohuna have pinned their hopes on the return of several locals, with Jackson Williams, William Lee, Xavier Mitchell and Sam Leitch all returning to the home club.
The recruitment of former Golden Square midfielder Jack Geary, who will also take the reins as coach, should also see a sharp improvement for the Kangas. The big question ahead of round 1 isn’t around who is playing for Cohuna however, but rather who isn’t, with Cooper Mcloughlin, Riley Hird, Jacob Mitchell and Angus Donat all likely to miss the opening round against the Dogs with injury.
While Hird and Mitchell’s absence will hurt the Kangas midfield depth, they should have too much class for Tyntynder, with Geary, Joel Helman, Jarrod Findlay and Jack Donat among the best onballers in the competition.
Tip – Cohuna to win by 12 points.
TOOLEYBUC-MANANGATANG v MALLEE EAGLES
The Mallee Eagles will be hoping to confirm their finals credentials with a first round win when they travel to Tooleybuc to face the Saints.
Both Tooleybuc-Manangatang and the Eagles have been among the big recruiting clubs this off season, with both teams to have a vastly different look about them when they cross the white line on Saturday.
With Harry Allen and Brent Macleod taking charge out at Lalbert this season, there has been an air of expectation surrounding the Eagles over the pre-season, with the addition of key position players Darcy Hourigan and Jayden Post, along with midfielders Jordan Robins and Troy Anderson set to add class and depth to their clubs playing list this season.
The only negative for the Eagles will be the absence of defender Clinton Cummins and Allen for Saturday’s match against Tooleybuc-Manangatang, who under new coach Brad Morris, will also be expecting a much-improved performance in 2024.
The Saints have also recruited heavily over the off-season, adding former Gold Coast Sun Connor Nutting to their roster, along with former SANFL onballer Elliott Chalmers and classy Heidelberg midfielders Jesse Kane and Kai Kearns.
Tip – Mallee Eagles to win by 18 points.
KOONDROOK-BARHAM v NNW UNITED
Nyah-Nyah West United will return to the scene of their greatest triumph last season when the Demons meet Koondrook-Barham to open their 2024 campaign.
The Demons will have fond memories of their time at the Barham Rec. Reserve having defeated Woorinen by 31-points in last year’s first semi-final. While their season ultimately ended at the hands of Kerang six days later, NNW United are expected to once again be fighting for a top five finish this season.
The addition of key forward Brandyn Grenfell to their playing list, along with former Raiders Jordan and Lucas Iudica will help bolster their forward line and midfield, although Lucas Iudica’s debut in red and blue will have to wait at least another week.
Coming off the back of a winless season last year, the Raiders will be just looking to improve and continue the development of their talented youth this season. While 2023 may not have gone to plan, Koondrook-Barham will be far more competitive this season, with recruits such as Cambell Davison, Nathan Hammence and Jordan McKinnon set to add depth to their squad.
Tip – NNW United to win by 36 points.
