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Fremantle City will be the favourites to win the Premier League championship this season, they have made some very good signings and also impressed during the night series, even though they missed out on making it into the final. 1998 Champions, the Western Knights should have a good season, as should Floreat Athena who won the night series. Defending champion of champions, Sorrento, Inglewood United, Perth and ECU Joondalup should battle for spots in the top 5. Bayswater City Panthers and First Division champions Swan I.C. may finish between the top 5 and the bottom, while Ashfield/Bunbury, Cockburn City and newly promoted Rockingham City will be hoping to avoid relegation.
Predicted SWC Premier League Table 1 Fremantle City 2 Western Knights 3 Floreat Athena 4 Sorrento 5 Inglewood United 6 Perth 7 ECU Joondalup 8 Bayswater City Panthers 9 Swan I.C. 10 Ashfield/Bunbury 11 Cockburn City 12 Rockingham City
Relegated Kingsway Olympic should be favourties to bounce straight back into the Premier League after winning the First Division night series, Kingsway Olympic have been relegated twice from the top league after the 1985 and 1994 season and went straight back up. Perth City, Wanneroo City and Queens Park are the likely teams to challenge Olympic for the championship. The Stirling Lions, its first season out of the Premier League since 1979 could do anything, however it has lost several of its key players and is likely to finish near the top 5, as should Bassendean Caledonian. Balcatta, the Leeming Strikers, and the Dianella White Eagles are likely to finish around mid table, teams that should finish near the bottom will most likely be the Stirling Suns, Southside United and Armadale.
Predicted SWC First Division Table 1 Kingsway Olympic 2 Perth City 3 Wanneroo City 4 Queens Park 5 Bassendean Caledonian 6 Stirling Lions 7 Balcatta 8 Leeming Strikers 9 Dianella White Eagles 10 Stirling Suns 11 Southside United 12 ArmadaleWAASSA Premier Division
1 Fremantle United 2 Shamrock Rovers 3 ECU Joondalup Amateurs 4 Hamersley Rovers 5 Kwinana United 6 Forrestfield United 7 Murdoch University 8 South Perth United 9 Spearwood Dalmatinac 10 Morley Windmills 11 Perth Azzurri 12 WA MaccabiWAASSA First Division
1 Balga 2 Cockburn City Amateurs 3 Canning/Langford 4 Subiaco 5 Geraldton La Fiamma 6 Lynwood Chile 7 Belmont Villa 8 Cloverdale Chindits 9 University of WA 10 Carlisle 11 Mandurah City 12 Stirling Lions Amateurs
The W.A. State League season kicks-off this weekend with three teams - Fremantle City, Floreat Athena and Western Knights - already established as favourites for the crown.
Once again under the guidance of Stefan Kamasz, Fremantle City underlined their of position title favourites with some impressive performances during the Night Series. Retaining the bulk of last season's side, the club have made a number of very good signings during the off- season to bolster an already talented squad. On Fremantle City's books this season are Paul McVittie, Steve Bourne, Trim Morgan (all State team members), plus promising youngsters Michael Mirco, Gary Faria (who are also State teams members) and Michael Lipman.
Floreat Athena will be the biggest threat to Fremantle City and confidence is at an all-time high with the club having taken out the pre-season Night Series. Athena have relied on a strong youth policy over the past few seasons and they look set to reap the rewards with the likes of Troy Bernard, Costa Socratous and Boza Eracovic now firmly established as first team regulars. Coupled with the experience of Scott Daley, Jason Smith and Peter Coci, Michael Roki could well take his side to yet another trophy.
The other side in the hunt for the minor premiership is the Western Knights, who have looked unsettled in pre-season. The club have recruited heavily over the off-season and have nine new faces within their ranks including two-times W.A. Player of the Year Andy Wright, and up-coming talents Joe Vaz, Aaron Beattie and Shane McNally. On the other side of the coin they will heavily feel the losses of Perth Glory apprentice goalkeeper Tomislav Tomich, and the influential striking partnership of Trim Morgan and Eugene Singeorzan. Since storming their way to the 1998 minor premiership and top five play-off titles', the Knights have undergone a major squad overhaul and, having spent last season going through a re-building phase, and should be a contender to the crown this time around.
Outside these three clubs, the remaining two play-off places should be fought out between a handful of sides. Perth have a dangerous attacking line-up which contains David Onoforo, Night Series leading scorer Adrian Caceras and Bonni Botha. Defending champion of champions Sorrento should be fighting it out for a spot in the finals with former West Adelaide goalkeeper Michael Harkness in great form during the pre-season. Last season's champions ECU Joondalup were disappointing pre-season but expect them to pick up once the season proper gets underway. And Inglewood United have the experience of Robert Zabica and Alex Cummings marshalling their defences. Should the likes of Taki Nicolaides, Karl Atley, Ivica Markovic, Paul Lincoln and Daniel Harrop be firing on all cylinders, the Night Series finalists could well be the surprise packet of this season.
The Bayswater City Panthers have an impressive squad on paper but didn't do a great deal in the Night Series. It will take a lot for them to finish above the lower-depths of the table and First Division champions Swan I.C. should accompany them around that same region. Perennial strugglers Ashfield/Bunbury and Cockburn City will fight it out with newly promoted Rockingham City to avoid relegation.
Predicted SWC Premier League Table 1 Floreat Athena 2 Fremantle City 3 Perth 4 Western Knights 5 Inglewood United 6 Sorrento 7 ECU Joondalup 8 Bayswater City Panthers 9 Swan I.C. 10 Ashfield/Bunbury 11 Cockburn City 12 Rockingham City
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This page was last updated on the 24th February 2006