Riversdale tipped as early favorites in clash of div one titans

RIVERSDALE Captain: Robert Blatch Coaches: Garth Lindsay & James McLean

Key gains: James Napier, Stefan Blakeborough, Tom Dickison, Dylan Bungard, Cam McDonald, Jordie South, Nathan Bokser.

Key losses: Derek Deans, Ben Sanson.

Key players: Robert Blatch, Luren Els, Dylan Bungard, James Napier.

The lowdown: Riversdale have the modest ambition of making the semifinals, but with depth in every position and with a good preseason behind them they are the early competition favourites. WYNDHAM Captain: Joe McRae Coaches: Chris Allison & Casey Robertson.

Key gains: Hayden Diack, Nick Herbert, Brendon Craw.

Key losses: Quinton Dynes, Tim McRae, Tama Ward.

Key players: Joe McRae, Jarrod Clark, Mark Kingsbury.

The lowdown: Last year’s beaten finalists had an unsettled preseason in terms of player numbers and games with the main weakness a lack of depth in the tight five. The team are aiming to build momentum through the long season and go one better than last year. EDENDALE Captain: Matt Medley Coaches: John Fodie Key gains: Brad Whyte Key losses: N/A Mark Hunter.

The lowdown: Te Anau have been in training for over two months, their local youngsters will develop quickly around the experienced squad. A quality former representative player like former Chiefs, Highlanders and New Zealand Maori player Callum Bruce has not been seen in this division since Mark ‘Ziggy’ Seymour in the mid 1990’s. The club’s Fijian trio are also expected to give the Te Anau supporters plenty to cheer about this year. OHAI-NIGHTCAPS Captain: Hamish Wright Coaches: Rodger Eade Key gains: Hamish Wright, Aiden Van Rooigen, Glen Minty, Alan Gregory, William Terry, Khan Wilson, Daniel Pinn, Ryan Sharp, Matthew Manson, Jade Hollis, Patrick Oostveen, Harry Murtagh, Ben Collins.

Key losses: Jamie Shepherd, Ricky Skipper, Ken Johnson, Paul Roberts, Dan Broughton.

Key players: Cam Dawson, Hamish Wright, Martin Hogg, Jacob Stewart, Kahn Wilson, Ben Hunt, Milton Helman and Tyler Johnston.

The lowdown: Coach Rodger Eade has a huge squad of 31 to work with this season. Khan Wilson will further strengthen their backline. The loose forwards will measure up to this division, while the onus will be on their tight five to hold their own. MIDLANDS Captain: Tim Watt

Coaches: Micheal McKenzie & Dayna Cunningham

Key gains: Sam Dunnage, Josh Gorge, Stew Thomson, Juan Kyle, Andrew Leith, Aaron McDowall, Adam Wakeling.

Key losses: George Tuineau, Matty Johnson, Blake Fairbairn, Brenton Howden, Ben Brown,

Key players: Lane Cuthbert, Tim Watt, Simon Watt, John Officer, Chase Wilson, Damien Pulley, Blair Vining, Matt Brame, Moapa Bula.

The lowdown: Midlands lost a handful of their better players to various top grade clubs, and first five Blake Fairbairn to injury. But they have retained and recruited enough quality to be more than competitive in this division. Utility Damien Pulley is in top physical shape after a summer of boxing, loose forward Tim Watt is also likely to be one of the competitions more dominant players. Lane Cuthbert brings the power and flair to the front row. WAIKIWI Captain: Nick McCleery Coaches: Scott Meredith & Derek Manson Key gains: N/A Key losses: N/A Key players: N/A The lowdown: Waikiwi are regularly getting 26 players at training. Four of the team’s eight newcomers have came through from the club’s under-18 team last year. The quality of the other four recruits gave the team the confidence to try their hand in division one in 2016.

Information about the Tokanui team was not able to be gathered before the cut-off for this story.