Bowls Bendigo premier division one 2021-22 season preview: HOW THE NINE TEAMS ARE SHAPING UP

There's both a new team and a new name for Bendigo's top flight lawn bowls competition.

The newly-named Bendigo premier division one has welcomed newcomers Moama as a ninth team and in doing so has extended the season from the traditional 14 rounds to 18.

The season had originally been scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 2, but restrictions on community sport have delayed round one until this weekend.

With the wait finally over, here's how each of the nine teams are shaping up for season 2021-22.

READ MORE - Vaccination mandate for lawn bowlers to compete on greens and spectators to watch

Skippers: Grant Woodward, Leigh Manning, Andrew Brown, John Jennings.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 6^th (5 wins).

2019-20: 7^th (3 wins).

2018-19: 3^rd (7 wins).

One of the competition's most well-known names, Frank Byrne, has taken over the coaching role at Barnard Street.

Heading into his 42^nd summer of lawn bowls that has included stints at Eaglehawk, South Bendigo, Bendigo Golf and Kyneton, for Byrne his focus this season at Bendigo is as much about what happens off the green as what it does on it.

"The club believed it had the right mix of personnel and skill level, but for whatever reason their attitude and values towards pennant had just dropped a bit," Byrne said.

"The club didn't want to go on a hard recruiting drive, but just reassess what our attitude and values are towards pennant and build from within through a mix of experience and younger players.

"Our expectation is to go out on the green each week and ensure the opposition know they've got a game of bowls on their hands."

As well as Byrne, recruits into the Bendigo division one side include Alan Stone from Richmond Union, who will play as a second, and Mark Anderson and Troy Magnusson from White Hills.

From last season's team that finished sixth, Bendigo has lost Lawrence and Melanie Brooks, who have joined Craigieburn, Mitch Hocking has headed to Highton and Cohen Balnaves has moved to the Gold Coast.

Hocking and Lawrence Brooks were both skippers last season.

Skippers: Greg Podesta, Aaron Tomkins, Ian Ross, Paul Vlaeminck.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 4^th (7 wins).

2019-20: 2^nd (11 wins).

2018-19: 1^st (14 wins).

Bendigo East heads into the 2021-22 season with a new coach at the helm in Greg Podesta, who has taken over from the departed Lee Schraner.

Podesta joins the Beasties from Castlemaine off the back of the perennial power that has played in the past 12 finals series coming off a fourth-place finish last season.

"There's obviously a lot of expectation always with Bendigo East," Podesta said.

"We're definitely looking to play finals again, but we also see it as a bit of a development year in that we've got six new players who weren't in the side last year.

"We've got some new players at the club, but also some players from our second side last year that are potentially coming through."

Joining Podesta as recruits at the Beasties are Josh Moloney, Todd Matthews, Leigh Graham and Bronwyn Capewell all from Strathfieldsaye.

As well as Schraner, the Beasties have also lost Melissa Roberts from last season's division one team.

Skippers: Peter Brain, Greg Brain, James Oliver, Rod Phillips.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 5^th (6 wins).

2019-20: 6^th (4 wins).

2018-19: 7^th (4 wins).

Castlemaine will be hoping it can continue its upwards trajectory this season.

Over the past four seasons the Maine has steadily improved from 8^th to 7^th to 6^th to 5^th, with the next challenge to push back into the top four.

On the recruiting front Castlemaine has added South Bendigo premiership player Lachie Darroch, Paul Darroch, Dalan Klemke and James Oliver, who will skip a rink.

The outs from last season included Greg Podesta, who is now coaching Bendigo East, and former skipper Rick Parr.

"We're upbeat heading into the season. We've got quite a few new players across the club at that good young learning age, so there's a really good vibe around the place," long-time skipper Rod Phillips said.

"I'd like to think we'd be pushing for the finals... if we can win our home games and then win the games away from home that we'd be expected to we'll give ourselves a chance of finishing in the four."

Skippers: Dean Carter, Darren Burgess, Brayden Byrne, Marc Smith.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 3^rd (8 wins).

2019-20: 3^rd (9 wins).

2018-19: 2^nd (12 wins).

Having been around the mark for so long as a premiership contender, this season should be no different for Eaglehawk as it again shapes as one of the top flag prospects.

The Hawks' past four seasons include a premiership, runner-up and two preliminary final defeats and with minimal change over the off-season it will be a strong Borough team again that takes to the green.

The Hawks have a big inclusion with the signing of Marc Smith - a four-time premiership skipper with Bendigo East, while he also coached and skipped Golden Square to its drought-breaking division one flag in 2014.

Not surprisingly given his history of success Smith will step straight in to skip a rink for the Hawks, whose only other recruit is Kym Schumacher, who has played premier bowls in South Australia and will play third to Brayden Byrne.

From last season's team that lost the preliminary final to South Bendigo the departures are Frank Byrne (Bendigo) and Mal McLean (Inglewood).

"On paper I think we're a stronger side this year than we were last year," skipper Dean Carter said.

"Marc is a big inclusion for us having won seven or eight division one flags. He has tremendous experience and his personality is going to fit in well and I think he will give us a real boost.

"We won the flag four years ago, then were runner-up and have finished third twice, so we've got to take that next step now."

Skippers: Garri Conforti, Lachie Bowland, John Berry, Travis Berry.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 7^th (3 wins).

2019-20: 5^th (5 wins).

2018-19: 6^th (4 wins).

Golden Square has earmarked this season as a stepping stone to what it hopes will be a return to the finals the year after.

"We are looking at this year as a rebuilding season where we will put some more younger bowlers into our division one side to give them some experience," Golden Square chairman of selectors Peter Bush said.

"Then next season our aim will be to not only get ourselves back into the finals, but have a good go at winning the 2022-23 premiership."

Golden Square hasn't played in a finals series since finishing fourth in 2015-16.

The side's recruits include Lachie Bowland from Eaglehawk and John Berry from Kangaroo Flat, who will both skip, while Neville Bowland has also joined the club.

Gary Beckham, one of Square's 2014 premiership skippers, is also back with Golden Square, whose losses include the recent departure of chairman Barry Hogan to Kangaroo Flat and former skipper Trevor Schill to Inglewood.

"It was a big shock a couple of weeks ago for us to lose our chairman so close to the season," Bush said of Hogan's departure to the Flat.

"But we certainly expect to be competitive this season."

Skippers: Mal McLean, Rob Day, Grant Jackson, Lindsay Kelly.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 8^th (2 wins).

2019-20: 8^th (2 wins).

2018-19: 8^th (4 wins).

Can Inglewood lift itself off the bottom of the ladder this season after claiming the past three wooden spoons?

Hopefully helping the Woodies produce a more competitive season in 2021-22 is the return of Mal McLean from Eaglehawk to skip, while they have also picked up former Golden Square skipper Trevor Schill.

There is a key departure though in one of last season's skippers, Dale Jackson.

"We've got some good young players at the club that we're hoping to give a go to," Inglewood secretary and skipper Lindsay Kelly said.

"Jack Nevins, Zane Rowe and Daniel McNish are good young players who are showing some promise.

"Like every season, we'll be out there every week trying our best. For a little club with 50 members in total we think we're doing pretty well... it's hard work and it would be fantastic if we could get ourselves up to 4^th or 5th."

Skippers: Cameron Keenan, Cameron Wilson, David Keenan, Barry Anset.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 2^nd (10 wins).

2019-20: 4^th (9 wins).

2018-19: 5^th (5 wins).

There's no shortage of motivation at Kangaroo Flat following last season's grand final loss to South Bendigo.

This season the mission is simple - to go one better.

The Flat has retained the same four skippers as last season in Cameron Keenan, Cameron Wilson, David Keenan and Barry Anset.

Joining the Flat in its quest to win its first division one premiership since 2005 are Barry Hogan from Golden Square, James McGillivray from Cohuna Golf and Daryl Weymouth from Deniliquin RSL.

Departures from the losing grand final side to the Diggers are Richard Murray and John Berry.

"You'd hope we'd be around the mark again this season," skipper David Keenan said.

"It left a terrible taste in the mouth the way it finished for us last year, so the boys are all really hungry... there's unfinished business for us."

Skippers: Kevin Anderson, Brad Campbell, Jason McCloy, Kevin Brennan.

There will be plenty of attention on new-comers Moama in its debut season in Bendigo after years of dominating the Campaspe Valley competition.

And leading the charge will be the competition's biggest name, former Scottish representative Kevin Anderson.

Anderson and fellow skippers Brad Campbell, Jason McCloy and Kevin Brennan are all inclusions for Moama this season, which has had to expand from three rinks in its former competition to four in Bendigo.

The side will also feature Cass Millerick, who is part of the Australian Jackaroos emerging squad.

"Being a new competition you never know how you're going to go, but, hopefully we can be competitive," Anderson said.

"Hopefully, we can make the finals and then see where we go from there. We're well aware there's a lot of good teams in Bendigo."

Skippers: Brad Holland, Luke Hoskin, Max Rowley, Tom Lester.

Three-year formline:

2020-21: 1^st (11 wins).

2019-20: 1^st (12 wins).

2018-19: 4^th (6 wins).

The Diggers head into the new season having won the past two premierships and again with a target on their backs as the hunted.

South has three departures from last season's grand final team that beat Kangaroo Flat - skipper Ethan Higgins, Justin Rorke and Lachie Darroch.

Joining the club is Tom "T-Bone" Lester, formerly of Bendigo East and coming off two seasons and a flag with Melbourne, as well as Beau Traill from Ballarat.

"It's a matter again of building into the season the way we want to play and making sure we're doing it at the right time of the year," coach Brad Holland said.

"It will be interesting to see how the competition goes with Moama coming in, but we're looking forward to the season getting started."

Castlemaine v Bendigo East

Kangaroo Flat v Moama

Eaglehawk v South Bendigo

Golden Square v Bendigo

Inglewood bye

Bendigo, Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Inglewood, Kangaroo Flat, Moama, South Bendigo.

Last season's premier:

South Bendigo.

Bendigo, Bendigo East, Eaglehawk, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills.

Last season's premier:

Kangaroo Flat.

Bendigo, Bendigo East, Golden Square, Heathcote, North Bendigo, Serpentine, South Bendigo Strathfieldsaye.

Last season's premier:

Marong.

Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, South Bendigo, White Hills, Woodbury.

Last season's premier:

North Bendigo.

Calivil, Campbells Creek, Castlemaine, Dingee, Eaglehawk, Inglewood, Kangaroo Flat, Marong.

Last season's premier:

White Hills.

Bendigo, Bridgewater, Eaglehawk, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, Woodbury.

Last season's premier:

Marong.

Bendigo East, Bendigo VRI, Golden Square, Heathcote, Kangaroo Flat. South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills.

Last season's premier:

Strathfieldsaye.

Golden Square, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, North Bendigo, White Hills, Woodbury.

Campbells Creek, Castlemaine, Bendigo VRI, Bridgewater, Golden Square, White Hills.

Last season's premier:

Golden Square.

........................................

Divisions 2 to 8 start Saturday, November 13.

Division 9 starts Saturday, November 20.

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