CAW Provincial season preview | How is your club shaping up?

The Border Mail’s Brett Kohlhagen takes a look at each club's prospects leading into Saturday's opening round.

Last season: 9^th

Coach: Luke Styles

Captain: TBA

Gains: Jake Hindmarsh (Wagga City), Aaron Gillespie (Ireland), Zac Stuart (North Albury), Ben Dower (Eskdale), Daniel Cassidy (New City), Harry Weaven (Lavington), Dylan Pumpa and Layne Heinjus (Culcairn), Beau McIntyre (Baranduda), Steve Jennings (North Albury), Beau Smith (Wagga Cats)

Losses: Dave Tassell (Lavington), Aaron Hoskin (Howlong) Navroop Singh (Melbourne), Ethan Moore (New City)

Leading run-scorer last season: Alex Popko (354)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Dave Tassell (26)

Prospects: Albury has undergone massive change over the off-season and could go into Saturday’s match with 10 new players. How much cricket Kade Brown and Alex Popko play remains to be seen.

Coaches comment: We’ve got a lot of new faces and are obviously coming from a long way back, but I’m really keen to get a winning feeling at the club.

Prediction: 9^th

Last season: 8^th

Coach: Michael Booth

Captain: Zac Simmonds

Gains: Lee Tyrell (UK)

Losses: Jake Styles (Mt Beauty), Jack Jessop, Jack Holt

Leading run-scorer last season: Nat Sariman (386)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Cam McCormack (20)

Prospects: The Eagles were the flop of 2017-18 and are desperate to regain some respect within CAW ranks. They will look to find some consistency and are banking on youngsters Noah Spiteri and Lachie McMillan kicking on. English recruit Lee Tyrell has impressed since arriving and is set to cause some carnage.

Captain’s comment: It’s no secret we were pretty disappointed with our efforts last season.

Prediction: 5^th

Last season: 5^th

Coach: Dylan Weeding

Captain: Dylan Weeding

Gains: Eddy Ziebarth (Burrumbuttock), Ryan Scammell (Baranduda)

Losses: Dom Blampied (Jersey)

Leading run-scorer last season: Dom Blampied (380)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Will McIntosh (31)

Prospects: With Alexandra Park out of action until at least Christmas and possibly the season, the Crows will be calling The Scots School Albury home. Cameron White has handed over the captaincy to Dylan Weeding with the club set to field a near identical side to last season.

Captain’s comment: Hopefully we can continue to work our way up the ladder.

Prediction: 6^th

Last season: Premier

Coach: Sam O’Connor

Captain: Sam Harris

Gains: Darcy I’Anson (Burrumbuttock), Dave Tassell (Albury), Rory Jenkins (Culcairn), Nathan Smith (Ballarat)

Losses: Andrew Mackinlay and Will Heriot (Holbrook), Chris Galvin (Northern Districts)

Leading run-scorer last season: Nathan Brown (639)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Nathan Brown (32)

Prospects: The team to beat. Any side with a bowling attack of Nathan and Ryan Brown, Brett Davies, Daryl Tuffey and Dave Tassell is going to be hard to stop. Throw in all-rounder Darcy I’Anson and it’s easy to see why most opposition sides have them as flag favourites. Skipper Sam Harris will miss early matches.

Captain’s comment: We will be fairly similar to last season with not a lot changing. Everything seems pretty stable.

Prediction: 1^st

Last season: 6^th

Coach: Nick McDonald

Captain: Steve McLennan

Gains: Brett Mugridge (Melbourne sub-district), Ethan Moore (New City), Zac Barrenechea (Burrum)

Losses: Callum Langlands (North Albury), Darren Petersen (Melbourne), Angus Kilby (St Patricks), Saif Ali Zaib

Leading run-scorer last season: Darren Petersen (406)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Sam Grant (26)

Prospects: If the Phoenix were young last season, they are even younger in 2018-19. Several of key players have moved on including master blaster Darren Petersen to Melbourne while Steve Jolliffe will miss the opening month with a finger injury. Burrumbuttock’s Zac Barrenechea broke his foot during football finals and will only play after Christmas.

Captain’s comment: We will be young again, but we will be giving it 150 per cent. I think we will improve as the season goes.

Prediction: 8^th

Last season: Runner-up

Coach: Ash Borella

Captain: Ash Borella

Gains: George McCormick (England), Callum Langlands (New City)

Losses: John Purtell (Eskdale), Ryan Addison

Leading run-scorer last season: Ash Borella (672)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Greg Daniel (36)

Prospects: Look certain to make the top four with McCormick and Langlands adding some class to the bowling attack

Captain’s comment: I’m happy how we are shaping up

Prediction: 4^th

Last season: 7^th

Coach: James Kreutzberger

Captain: Matt Crawshaw

Gains: Angus Kilby (New City), Dionisio Dantano

Losses: Nil

Leading run-scorer last season: Luke Restall (487)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Will Keighran (21)

Prospects: St Patrick’s progress will depend heavily on the development of youngsters Paddy Parnell, Ben Jones, Sam Azzi, Nick Brown and Luke Dahl. They showed glimpses last season and will need to step up to help seasoned campaigners Matt Crawshaw, Nick Flood, Luke Restall and Kori Stevenson.

Coach’s comment: Our aim is to improve. We have a good core of young blokes who had a taste last year and some others like Liam Parkinson and Zac Lassey who will push up from the under-16s.

Prediction: 7^th

Last season: 4^th

Coach: Matt Armstrong and Trent Ball

Captain: Matt Armstrong

Gains: Phil Neville (Gippsland), Ryan Bartel (Kiewa), Adam Healy (Belvoir)

Losses: Brett Allan (Baranduda), Curtis Stephens (Fitzroy-Doncaster)

Leading run-scorer last season: Nathan Thompson (510)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Sam Stephens (36)

Prospects: Look Lavington’s biggest danger. Bowed out in the preliminary finals last season and opener Phil Neville shapes as one of the recruits of the season. 

Captain’s comment: I think we can have a good season.

Prediction: 2^nd

Last season: 3^rd

Coach: Robbie Jackson

Captain: TBA

Gains: Cameron Suidgeest (Ginninderra), Jarrod Lewin (Dederang), Harris Lee (C grade)

Losses: Beau Kennedy and Matt King (Barn-Chiltern), Andrew Weighell, Rob Foreman

Leading run-scorer last season: Andrew Weighell (500)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Byron Hales (48)

Prospects: Remain a genuine premiership contender.

Prediction: 3^rd

Last season: 10^th

Coach: Steve Keene

Captain: Steve Keene

Gains: Luke Rafferty (Bendigo), Ben Stewart (Kiewa), Jack Nieuwerth (Wodonga)

Losses: Nil

Leading run-scorer last season: Jesse Griffiths (444)

Leading wicket-taker last season: Nick Bracher (18)

Prospects: While the Raiders remain light on for top-end talent, the depth has improved with numbers hitting 30 on occasions at training. Officials remain hopeful of landing two imports.

Captain’s comment: We are in better shape than last season. Last year we were lucky to get 15 at training and we’ve been getting double that.

Prediction: 10^th