Forestville Eagles v Southern Tigers, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Wayville

The Round 1 clash between Forestville and Southern will feature two of the youngest teams in the competition. The Eagles, who looked in danger of missing the finals late last season, finished with a bang, before a disappointing loss to Norwood in their First Semi-Final ended their season. Last year’s Woollacott Medallist Riley Luettgerodt is no longer with the team, whilst Forestville have also lost former 36er Brad Gerlach and big men Luke Hoban and Doug MacDonald-Taylor. The Eagles have added former NBL triple-double machine Rashad Tucker, as well as juniors Majok Deng, Tim Smyth and Daniel Florance. The Tigers again missed the finals last year and have lost last season’s top scorer Tristan Braithwaite to West Adelaide. Southern will also be without another of their top players in Shane Boal, who signed with South Adelaide, but have signed former Eagle Reece Turner, along with Marcus Robinson from Darwin and several juniors. This is a rare matchup between two teams that do not feature a single current NBL player on their roster. Both teams have lost key personnel, but with home court advantage and a strong recent record against their opponents, I see Forestville getting up comfortably in this one.

Eastern Mavericks v West Adelaide Bearcats, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Adelaide Hills

The West Adelaide Bearcats have undergone many changes since last year’s heartbreaking Grand Final loss to Sturt. In contrast, the Eastern Mavericks have a very similar roster to the team that finished last season in sixth position. The Mavericks and Bearcats will meet on Saturday night in a matchup that could feature a host of NBL talent. Eastern have signed 36ers backup Guard Aaron Bruce, whilst Brad Hill has been confirmed as Player/Coach. The Mavs have also added Jack Madgen, the brother of Sydney Kings Rookie of the Year Candidate Ben (who should arrive for round 2), as well as Lukass Blicavs and Ben McLaughlin. Out of the team go Cheyne Cronin, Matt de Cure, Ben Dearman, Jordan Dodman and Nick Heim. The Bearcats secured the lucrative signing of Southern’s Tristan Braithwaite, as well as capturing 36er Jeff Dowdell. They have, however, lost a lot of talent, with Brad Davidson retiring, Chris Molitor turning to Football, young gun Josh Bond leaving for North, and veteran big men Shane Crothers and Steve Watts also gone. The 36ers played in New Zealand on Wednesday night, so whether or not the pool of 36ers will be suiting up on Saturday remains to be seen. The game will likely be tight, with both teams matching up evenly on paper, but with home ground advantage, I think Eastern will just get up.

North Adelaide Rockets v Woodville Warriors, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Hillcrest

The North Adelaide Rockets’ dismal home record in Season 2010 saw them finish fifth in the Central ABL for the second year in a row. The Woodville Warriors were one of the teams who took success on the Rockets’ home floor. However, both teams have undergone significant transformation in the offseason. The Rockets have signed 36ers star Rhys Carter, as well as signing West young gun Josh Bond and adding three juniors. Many big names have left the Rockets, including Nick Hambour (Norwood), Dallas Quigley, Pero Vasiljevic, Michael Zorich and Ryan Kersten. The Warriors were one of the surprise packets of last year, nearly making the finals before just falling short. Woodville have a new coach at the helm in NBL Hall of Famer Al Green, who last coached at this level many years ago with South Adelaide’s women. The Warriors have made additions from other clubs, including Zane Reeves and Gary Birmingham from Centrals and Adam Blight and Steve Pilkington from South. Also signing for the club is Joseph Campbell from the USA, however, star player Brady Brink will be sorely missed, while Rob Cameron and Ben McKay have also left. The Rockets’ big advantage last year was their size, but the losses of Hambour and Vasiljevic have left them small. Look for the Warriors to attack the paint with aggression. Despite the likely inclusion of Carter, I think Woodville has what it takes to pull out a strong victory.

Norwood Flames v Sturt Sabres, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Mars

The Norwood Flames will host this week’s blockbuster clash when they host reigning champions Sturt on Saturday night. Following the retirement of dual premiership coach Rupert Sapwell, the Flames now have another former 36er at the helm in Brad Davidson. The biggest team in the comp have just gotten bigger, with Nick Hambour signing from the Rockets. Robyn Eley will also be returning to the team from the US, whilst Caelum Cousins, Sam Grantham and Peter Hooley have left. The Flames have managed to retain the best backcourt in the League in Todd Matthews and Andrew Webber, as well as Centre David Cooper. The Sabres have lost starting 2-Guard Corey Maynard to College, as well as Markus Ng and Todd Gower. In their place, Sturt will blood plenty of youngsters. Tom Daly will be stronger following a season of NBL with the 36ers, whilst his senior teammates Darren Ng, Jacob Holmes and Jan Warbout will also be returning, though Ng and Holmes are unlikely to suit in round 1. Also look for Nathan Kareta to see more minutes this season. This matchup will no doubt be close as it always seems to be between these two giants. In a battle between size and experience versus speed and youth, this one is a toss of the coin.  However, the Norwood crowd will be as vocal as ever, and may just be the deciding factor in the end.

Central District Lions v South Adelaide Panthers, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Starplex

Central Districts and South Adelaide will both go into Saturday night’s match without their MVP of last season. Lions star Zane Reeves has left for Woodville, while Panthers’ scoring machine Sammy Gazzo is no longer with the club. These two teams, who were the cellar dwellers of the competition last year, have brought in a host of young plays to replace more experienced players, although South have been bolstered by the additions of 36ers Daniel Johnson and Mitch Creek. The Lions have also lost big man Wade Pidock, as well as promising youngster Jacob Templeton, who has chosen to focus on AFL. This leaves a lot of the weight on youngster Dan Carlin, and if Creek and Johnson play, look for the Panthers to win this one comfortably.

Forestville Eagles v Southern Tigers, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Wayville

The Round 1 clash between Forestville and Southern will feature two of the youngest teams in the competition. The Eagles, who looked in danger of missing the finals late last season, finished with a bang, before a disappointing loss to Norwood in their First Semi-Final ended their season. Last year’s Woollacott Medallist Riley Luettgerodt is no longer with the team, whilst Forestville have also lost former 36er Brad Gerlach and big men Luke Hoban and Doug MacDonald-Taylor. The Eagles have added former NBL triple-double machine Rashad Tucker, as well as juniors Majok Deng, Tim Smyth and Daniel Florance. The Tigers again missed the finals last year and have lost last season’s top scorer Tristan Braithwaite to West Adelaide. Southern will also be without another of their top players in Shane Boal, who signed with South Adelaide, but have signed former Eagle Reece Turner, along with Marcus Robinson from Darwin and several juniors. This is a rare matchup between two teams that do not feature a single current NBL player on their roster. Both teams have lost key personnel, but with home court advantage and a strong recent record against their opponents, I see Forestville getting up comfortably in this one.

Eastern Mavericks v West Adelaide Bearcats, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Adelaide Hills

The West Adelaide Bearcats have undergone many changes since last year’s heartbreaking Grand Final loss to Sturt. In contrast, the Eastern Mavericks have a very similar roster to the team that finished last season in sixth position. The Mavericks and Bearcats will meet on Saturday night in a matchup that could feature a host of NBL talent. Eastern have signed 36ers backup Guard Aaron Bruce, whilst Brad Hill has been confirmed as Player/Coach. The Mavs have also added Jack Madgen, the brother of Sydney Kings Rookie of the Year Candidate Ben (who should arrive for round 2), as well as Lukass Blicavs and Ben McLaughlin. Out of the team go Cheyne Cronin, Matt de Cure, Ben Dearman, Jordan Dodman and Nick Heim. The Bearcats secured the lucrative signing of Southern’s Tristan Braithwaite, as well as capturing 36er Jeff Dowdell. They have, however, lost a lot of talent, with Brad Davidson retiring, Chris Molitor turning to Football, young gun Josh Bond leaving for North, and veteran big men Shane Crothers and Steve Watts also gone. The 36ers played in New Zealand on Wednesday night, so whether or not the pool of 36ers will be suiting up on Saturday remains to be seen. The game will likely be tight, with both teams matching up evenly on paper, but with home ground advantage, I think Eastern will just get up.

North Adelaide Rockets v Woodville Warriors, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Hillcrest

The North Adelaide Rockets’ dismal home record in Season 2010 saw them finish fifth in the Central ABL for the second year in a row. The Woodville Warriors were one of the teams who took success on the Rockets’ home floor. However, both teams have undergone significant transformation in the offseason. The Rockets have signed 36ers star Rhys Carter, as well as signing West young gun Josh Bond and adding three juniors. Many big names have left the Rockets, including Nick Hambour (Norwood), Dallas Quigley, Pero Vasiljevic, Michael Zorich and Ryan Kersten. The Warriors were one of the surprise packets of last year, nearly making the finals before just falling short. Woodville have a new coach at the helm in NBL Hall of Famer Al Green, who last coached at this level many years ago with South Adelaide’s women. The Warriors have made additions from other clubs, including Zane Reeves and Gary Birmingham from Centrals and Adam Blight and Steve Pilkington from South. Also signing for the club is Joseph Campbell from the USA, however, star player Brady Brink will be sorely missed, while Rob Cameron and Ben McKay have also left. The Rockets’ big advantage last year was their size, but the losses of Hambour and Vasiljevic have left them small. Look for the Warriors to attack the paint with aggression. Despite the likely inclusion of Carter, I think Woodville has what it takes to pull out a strong victory.

Norwood Flames v Sturt Sabres, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Mars

The Norwood Flames will host this week’s blockbuster clash when they host reigning champions Sturt on Saturday night. Following the retirement of dual premiership coach Rupert Sapwell, the Flames now have another former 36er at the helm in Brad Davidson. The biggest team in the comp have just gotten bigger, with Nick Hambour signing from the Rockets. Robyn Eley will also be returning to the team from the US, whilst Caelum Cousins, Sam Grantham and Peter Hooley have left. The Flames have managed to retain the best backcourt in the League in Todd Matthews and Andrew Webber, as well as Centre David Cooper. The Sabres have lost starting 2-Guard Corey Maynard to College, as well as Markus Ng and Todd Gower. In their place, Sturt will blood plenty of youngsters. Tom Daly will be stronger following a season of NBL with the 36ers, whilst his senior teammates Darren Ng, Jacob Holmes and Jan Warbout will also be returning, though Ng and Holmes are unlikely to suit in round 1. Also look for Nathan Kareta to see more minutes this season. This matchup will no doubt be close as it always seems to be between these two giants. In a battle between size and experience versus speed and youth, this one is a toss of the coin.  However, the Norwood crowd will be as vocal as ever, and may just be the deciding factor in the end.

Central District Lions v South Adelaide Panthers, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Starplex

Central Districts and South Adelaide will both go into Saturday night’s match without their MVP of last season. Lions star Zane Reeves has left for Woodville, while Panthers’ scoring machine Sammy Gazzo is no longer with the club. These two teams, who were the cellar dwellers of the competition last year, have brought in a host of young plays to replace more experienced players, although South have been bolstered by the additions of 36ers Daniel Johnson and Mitch Creek. The Lions have also lost big man Wade Pidock, as well as promising youngster Jacob Templeton, who has chosen to focus on AFL. This leaves a lot of the weight on youngster Dan Carlin, and if Creek and Johnson play, look for the Panthers to win this one comfortably.

Forestville Eagles v Southern Tigers, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Wayville

The Round 1 clash between Forestville and Southern will feature two of the youngest teams in the competition. The Eagles, who looked in danger of missing the finals late last season, finished with a bang, before a disappointing loss to Norwood in their First Semi-Final ended their season. Last year’s Woollacott Medallist Riley Luettgerodt is no longer with the team, whilst Forestville have also lost former 36er Brad Gerlach and big men Luke Hoban and Doug MacDonald-Taylor. The Eagles have added former NBL triple-double machine Rashad Tucker, as well as juniors Majok Deng, Tim Smyth and Daniel Florance. The Tigers again missed the finals last year and have lost last season’s top scorer Tristan Braithwaite to West Adelaide. Southern will also be without another of their top players in Shane Boal, who signed with South Adelaide, but have signed former Eagle Reece Turner, along with Marcus Robinson from Darwin and several juniors. This is a rare matchup between two teams that do not feature a single current NBL player on their roster. Both teams have lost key personnel, but with home court advantage and a strong recent record against their opponents, I see Forestville getting up comfortably in this one.

Eastern Mavericks v West Adelaide Bearcats, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Adelaide Hills

The West Adelaide Bearcats have undergone many changes since last year’s heartbreaking Grand Final loss to Sturt. In contrast, the Eastern Mavericks have a very similar roster to the team that finished last season in sixth position. The Mavericks and Bearcats will meet on Saturday night in a matchup that could feature a host of NBL talent. Eastern have signed 36ers backup Guard Aaron Bruce, whilst Brad Hill has been confirmed as Player/Coach. The Mavs have also added Jack Madgen, the brother of Sydney Kings Rookie of the Year Candidate Ben (who should arrive for round 2), as well as Lukass Blicavs and Ben McLaughlin. Out of the team go Cheyne Cronin, Matt de Cure, Ben Dearman, Jordan Dodman and Nick Heim. The Bearcats secured the lucrative signing of Southern’s Tristan Braithwaite, as well as capturing 36er Jeff Dowdell. They have, however, lost a lot of talent, with Brad Davidson retiring, Chris Molitor turning to Football, young gun Josh Bond leaving for North, and veteran big men Shane Crothers and Steve Watts also gone. The 36ers played in New Zealand on Wednesday night, so whether or not the pool of 36ers will be suiting up on Saturday remains to be seen. The game will likely be tight, with both teams matching up evenly on paper, but with home ground advantage, I think Eastern will just get up.

North Adelaide Rockets v Woodville Warriors, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Hillcrest

The North Adelaide Rockets’ dismal home record in Season 2010 saw them finish fifth in the Central ABL for the second year in a row. The Woodville Warriors were one of the teams who took success on the Rockets’ home floor. However, both teams have undergone significant transformation in the offseason. The Rockets have signed 36ers star Rhys Carter, as well as signing West young gun Josh Bond and adding three juniors. Many big names have left the Rockets, including Nick Hambour (Norwood), Dallas Quigley, Pero Vasiljevic, Michael Zorich and Ryan Kersten. The Warriors were one of the surprise packets of last year, nearly making the finals before just falling short. Woodville have a new coach at the helm in NBL Hall of Famer Al Green, who last coached at this level many years ago with South Adelaide’s women. The Warriors have made additions from other clubs, including Zane Reeves and Gary Birmingham from Centrals and Adam Blight and Steve Pilkington from South. Also signing for the club is Joseph Campbell from the USA, however, star player Brady Brink will be sorely missed, while Rob Cameron and Ben McKay have also left. The Rockets’ big advantage last year was their size, but the losses of Hambour and Vasiljevic have left them small. Look for the Warriors to attack the paint with aggression. Despite the likely inclusion of Carter, I think Woodville has what it takes to pull out a strong victory.

Norwood Flames v Sturt Sabres, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Mars

The Norwood Flames will host this week’s blockbuster clash when they host reigning champions Sturt on Saturday night. Following the retirement of dual premiership coach Rupert Sapwell, the Flames now have another former 36er at the helm in Brad Davidson. The biggest team in the comp have just gotten bigger, with Nick Hambour signing from the Rockets. Robyn Eley will also be returning to the team from the US, whilst Caelum Cousins, Sam Grantham and Peter Hooley have left. The Flames have managed to retain the best backcourt in the League in Todd Matthews and Andrew Webber, as well as Centre David Cooper. The Sabres have lost starting 2-Guard Corey Maynard to College, as well as Markus Ng and Todd Gower. In their place, Sturt will blood plenty of youngsters. Tom Daly will be stronger following a season of NBL with the 36ers, whilst his senior teammates Darren Ng, Jacob Holmes and Jan Warbout will also be returning, though Ng and Holmes are unlikely to suit in round 1. Also look for Nathan Kareta to see more minutes this season. This matchup will no doubt be close as it always seems to be between these two giants. In a battle between size and experience versus speed and youth, this one is a toss of the coin.  However, the Norwood crowd will be as vocal as ever, and may just be the deciding factor in the end.

Central District Lions v South Adelaide Panthers, Sat, Apr 2, 8:15pm at Starplex

Central Districts and South Adelaide will both go into Saturday night’s match without their MVP of last season. Lions star Zane Reeves has left for Woodville, while Panthers’ scoring machine Sammy Gazzo is no longer with the club. These two teams, who were the cellar dwellers of the competition last year, have brought in a host of young plays to replace more experienced players, although South have been bolstered by the additions of 36ers Daniel Johnson and Mitch Creek. The Lions have also lost big man Wade Pidock, as well as promising youngster Jacob Templeton, who has chosen to focus on AFL. This leaves a lot of the weight on youngster Dan Carlin, and if Creek and Johnson play, look for the Panthers to win this one comfortably.

By James Woite