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THE Bendigo Bowls Division weekend pennant season begins on Saturday with what is shaping as a race in five for the four finals positions.
The most likely finalists are shaping as the two traditional power sides in Bendigo East and Eaglehawk, along with Bendigo, South Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat.
Also competing in division one are Golden Square, Castlemaine and Inglewood.
Hopefully, this year is a far more open race for the premiership than the "two horse race" of last season when it was clear from the outset that it would be Bendigo East and Eaglehawk battling for the flag.
And that's how it played out, with the Beasties defeating the Hawks by nine shots in the grand final.
The Beasties lost just one game last season and while they have two of their premiership players in Tom Lester and Chris Randell departing, they have pulled off one of the most talked about recruiting moves of the off-season with Ian Ross, who certainly knows how to skip winning rinks, crossing from Bendigo.
Two years ago when the Addy compiled the top 50 skippers with the most wins between 2005-06 and 2016-17 Ross was ranked No.1.
The Beasties have also lured another former Bendigo skipper in Damien Broderick and look every bit the force to be reckoned with again - even if coach Lee Schraner, who will be unavailable in rounds two and three while competing at the World Champion of Champions in Adelaide, is still plagued by his broken ankle of last season.
Eaglehawk has retained a similar line-up to last season's runners-up, with one notable inclusion the signing of former Inglewood skipper Mal McLean, while Bendigo, which was just five shots off playing in a grand final last season, will be aiming to take the next step with the inclusions of James Oliver, John Jennings and Paul Rhodes.
South Bendigo, which has been around the mark for the past three seasons, has had some movement with five in and four out, while Kangaroo Flat will be a side to keep an eye on following a strong recruiting drive headed by David Keenan- a dual premiership skipper at Bendigo East - and his 15-year-old young gun son, Cameron.
BENDIGO
Last season: 3rd (7 wins).
Skippers: Andrew Brown, Mitch Hocking, Lawrence Brooks, Torie Babitsch.
In: James Oliver, John Jennings, Paul Rhodes.
Out: Ian Ross, Damien Broderick.
Five year record:
Won - 48. Lost - 28.
Last flag - 2017.
.............................................
BENDIGO EAST
Last season: 1st (14 wins).
Skippers: Still to be confirmed, but will come from Lee Schraner, Ian Ross, Marc Smith, Aaron Tomkins and Brad Marron.
In: Ian Ross, Damien Broderick, Andrew Cullen.
Out: Tom Lester, Chris Randell.
Five year record:
Won - 56. Lost - 23.
Last flag - 2019.
.............................................
CASTLEMAINE
Last season: 7th (4 wins).
Skippers: Rod Phillips, Greg Podesta, Darren Taylor, Rick Parr.
In: Lachie Darroch, Paul Darroch.
Out: John Sykes
Five year record:
Won - 27. Lost - 41.
Last flag - 1999.
.............................................
EAGLEHAWK
Last season: 2nd (12 wins).
Skippers: Dean Carter, Simon Carter, Darren Burgess, Brayden Byrne.
In: Mal McLean, Harley Taylor-Irwin.
Out: None.
Five year record:
Won - 53. Lost - 23.
Last flag - 2018.
.............................................
GOLDEN SQUARE
Last season: 6th (4 wins).
Skippers: Tas Wallis, Garri Conforti, Trevor Schill, Daryl Cheeseman.
In: Travis Berry.
Out: None.
Five year record:
Won - 27. Lost - 42.
Last flag - 2014.
.............................................
INGLEWOOD
Last season: 8th (4 wins).
Skippers: Lindsay Kelly, Daryl Rowley, Rob Day, Ian Chamberlain.
In: Wade Roberts.
Out: Mal McLean.
Five year record:
Won - 20. Lost - 46.
Last flag - None in Div. 1.
.............................................
KANGAROO FLAT
Last season: 5th (5 wins).
Skippers: Barry Anset, Cameron Wilson, David Keenan, Paul Moller.
In: Dean Goodwin, Richie Murray, Nick Belt, Cameron Keenan, David Keenan, Ron Payne.
Out: Travis Berry.
Five year record:
Won - 26. Lost - 42.
Last flag - 2005.
.............................................
SOUTH BENDIGO
Last season: 4th (6 wins).
Skippers: Still to be confirmed, but will come from Gary Downie, Brad Holland, Luke Hoskin, Liam Crapper and Mitch Sidebottom.
In: Frank Byrne, Ben Gould, Greg Page, Ted Saltmarsh, Gary Downie.
Out: Jason Turley, Dean Franklin, Paul Darroch, Lachie Darroch.
Five year record:
Won - 30. Lost - 42.
Last flag - 1994.
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