THE Sunraysia Daily sports team has gazed into the crystal ball and is ready to make some bold predictions for 2023.
SFNL senior football
MITCH RODD SAYS: I’m expecting season 2023 to be one of the best seasons from an on-field perspective.
With an influx of talent such as Sam Kerridge, Jarrod Brander and Matt Dea, it can only be a good thing for the league.
It’s probably taking the safe route really but I find it hard to go against Irymple adding a third straight SFNL premiership to their trophy cabinet.
The Swallows are a well-oiled machine with very few weaknesses.
Wentworth looms as the biggest challenger again, although you can never rule out anyone in this competition.
I also believe South Mildura won’t encounter another winless season.
MATT TAYLOR SAYS: What a season it promises to be.
A representative clash between Sunraysia and the NT Redtails on the eve of Round 1 will set the scene for a year of blockbuster SFNL clashes.
Wentworth will lose three key players in Nick and Jack Cottrell and young gun Sam Cumming, but the inclusion of ex-AFL player Jarrod Brander will be massive in the Roos’ forward line.
There will be no shortage of goals coming from the boots of Brander at centre half forward and playing coach Wade Hancock deeper in the goal square.
The Roos were only a goal away from winning the 2022 flag. I’m tipping they’ll turn the tables on Irymple in the 2023 decider.
My smokey for next season is Imperials, who should return to the finals under former Richmond and Essendon player Matt Dea.
ROB DONALDSON SAYS: The SFNL, as a whole, have been lucky enough to have some local ex-AFL talent return home – Matt Dea to Imperials, Jarrod Brander to Wentworth and Sam Kerridge to Mildura.
Spectators should be blessed to be able to watch these players on home turf.
Irymple and Wentworth should still be the top two teams in the competition but Wentworth, with the addition of Brander, should step up a notch in their quest for an elusive flag.
Ouyen, with the welcome return of Bambill forward Luke Stanbrook, will be a threat, with Merbein as the dark horse as they have recruited players for specific positions rather than just numbers to bolster their ranks.
SFNL A Grade netball
MITCH SAYS: If the 2023 season can follow the script of that unbelievable 2022 grand final, then we’re in for a ripper.
Honestly it’s hard to see who is going to get past the all-conquering Wentworth side, who went undefeated for the season, but Ouyen United are likely the number two seed again if their playing roster remains similar.
No doubt Mildura will be seething following a straight sets exit in the finals so I would not be surprised if they have a say in next year’s finals proceedings.
I also hope Red Cliffs, after finally getting some wins on the board last season following seven years without one, can continue to build in 2023.
SARAH BUCHECKER SAYS: Looking towards 2023, it’s hard to see Wentworth not being a strong contender again, especially under the leadership of Amanda Edwards.
The team brought out each other’s strengths on the court and maintained their winning streak all the way to the Grand Final.
They may face a loss this year, but it’s hard to see them copping too many.
Ouyen United seem to always be strong no matter what disruptions are thrown their way, I can see them being hungry after the grand final loss to Wentworth and perhaps this hunger will see them reach the grand final again.
Mildura are sure to once again be a strong contender this coming year, they have talent all across the court and another season will only give the existing and new players more experience and opportunities to refine their play style.
looking at the lower levels of the ladder, I think Red Cliffs have the potential to show real improvement into the new season and find themselves a few spots higher on the ladder, and I picture Imperials bringing their form up to another level.
MATT SAYS: Will the premiership-winning Wentworth juggernaut roll on to 2023?
In short, yes.
Ouyen United, led by Catherine Brown in defence, should be in the mix again with Mildura.
ROB SAYS: I can’t see the top three changing too much for the coming netball season, but it is still hard to go past the Roos to go back-to-back in the 2023 premiership.
Ouyen United will still be right up there, with Mildura knocking on the door. South Mildura, Imperials and Irymple will be competitive for the final spot in the four.
Millewa Football League
MITCH SAYS: Again probably a safer pick, but powerhouse Bambill could well go the three-peat again of winning the MFL, Millewa Netball Association A Grade and Sunraysia Women’s Football League premierships.
The Saints have acquired a very good coach in Todd George and if they retain most of their playing list, it’s hard to see them fading anytime soon.
Cardross making the grand final was fantastic to see and I would expect them to be around the mark again for their first flag since 1972. Same goes for Nangiloc who just fell short of an A Grade netball flag and pushed into SWFL finals.
And after a tough 2022, seeing an upturn in form from Meringur would be an awesome sight.
SARAH SAYS: It is hard to predict the Millewa League this year.
There seems to be something in the air. I think all the clubs want the league and their teams to be strong.
There are new players left, right and centre and it is hard to tell who is going shine come the start of the 2023 season.
Bambill are the obvious pick for top spot and it is likely they will continue their dominant strength on the field, even under a new coach.
I’m sure Gol Gol will be determined for a come back after losing to Cardross in the preliminary final.
Maybe under new coach Toby Quick-Meeks, Golly might have the extra push they need to make it all the way this time around.
Meringur and Werrimull will be keen to prove themselves, so I see the scores evening out this year as teams find their feet now they’ve had a season to adjust.
ROB SAYS: After winning the last two premierships, Bambill should keep the juggernaut rolling along with ex-Irymple premiership coach Todd George at the helm this year. Apart from losing Luke Stanbrook to Ouyen, they have kept their strong playing group intact.
Cardross will be thereabouts, along with Gol Gol, and even though Korey Loechel has transferred to Merbein, Nangiloc should round out the top four … so nothing should really change from the 2022 ladder positions.
DEREK PEDLEY SAYS: The decline of the Millewa Football League must be heartbreaking for everyone in the region. Sport is the lifeblood of a community, so the precarious state of the league has far wider ramifications. I’d like to see the league focus less on the inevitable Saints flag in 2023, and more on finding a realistic way for Millewa football, and its proud history, to survive.
Millewa Netball
SARAH SAYS: It was a close end of the season this year, Bambill, Nangiloc and Werrimull were key teams who remained strong throughout the rounds.
Werrimull were a top team all year, but didn’t make it to the grand final, so I think they will come return to the court with a strong hunger for the top spot.
Bambill will be determined to maintain their premiership title and it’s hard to see them giving it up easily.
Some player changes have the potential to see Gol Gol, Meringur and Cardross come back in better form and give the other teams a stir.
Big V Division 1 women
MITCH SAYS: The way the Heat Women fought back from a 1-6 start to the 2022 season to make the play-offs was outstanding, especially given how young the majority of the side was.
The return of Bronte Pezzaniti and Georgia Mayne will certainly help, and a strong import to fill the void left by Fanni Szabo could take them deep into play-offs again.
They say fairytales aren’t real, but I’m willing to bet this one has a happy ending for the Heat in the form of a championship.
MATT SAYS: The emotional levels of Mildura Heat’s campaign will be off the charts when much-loved veteran coach James Madigan has a “last dance” with the women’s group.
The Heat will lose high-quality import Fanni Szabo and rising star Alannah Morello for their 2023 campaign.
However, they’ll retain the nucleus of the squad in club great Vanessa Power, Tracey Sherlock, Mikayla Hermans and Bronte Pezzaniti, along with youngsters like Jorja Delcastegne.
Warrnambool will be strong favourites to win the flag, but stuff it, I’m all in on the Heat.
I love a fairytale story and wouldn’t it be magic if Madigan and his wonder women win the grand final in a deciding game three at a packed Hothouse!?
DEREK SAYS: I’d never followed women’s basketball until 2022, but the story of the Heat Women captured my imagination. I was heartbroken for the team and their coach when one inexplicably poor game ended their incredible run.
I’ll admit I was worried when I read that Fanni Szabo and Alannah Morello would not return this season, given that they were such crucial cogs in the 2022 team.
But the blend of youth, talent and experience that Madigan has assembled is reason for great optimism, and he will work them hard, because he is too shrewd and experienced a coach to rely on emotion to win a title.
ROB SAYS: The Heat has good player stocks but will miss import Fanni Szabo, who is staying in Europe, and Alannah Morello, who is moving to Adelaide.
Stalwart Vanessa Power will again pull on the boots and will be surrounded by some talented youngsters in their quest for the playoffs.
Szabo will be a huge loss, and she may have been the difference between making the finals this year or not.
Big V Division 2 men
MITCH SAYS: I’m backing the boys to make the Division 2 Men’s play-offs.
An extra year of development for a relatively young squad under coach Calvin Henry will help them take steps forward, and the extra court time for some in the CBL will help with that.
A big inclusion is also defensive general Dave Meyer who is slated to come out of retirement and return to the court.
I’m excited to see what the likes of Dru Pilmore and Trequan Rudd-Morfaw can bring to the table, alongside American import Cameron Gross.
MATT SAYS: The Heat’s 2022 season was derailed through a failed import signing.
Let’s hope the new import, Cameron Gross, understands there’s more than one person on a team and works hard at both ends of the floor.
The big positive for head coach Calvin Henry is the crop of promising talent coming through the ranks.
With Davey Meyer back running the floor, the Heat will aim to return to finals action and hope momentum can take them to a championship.
ROB SAYS: Calvin Henry has some young talent coming through in Trequan Rudd-Morfaw and Dru Pilmore to help out the ever-reliable David Meyer.
With import Cameron Gross coming into the team, this should be enough for them to play finals again next year.
AFL
MITCH SAYS: Potentially coming from a place of bias, I think my Geelong Cats can go back-to-back in 2023.
They can play with more freedom because the pressure is off and the monkey has been removed from their back, however an older playing list aging another year could be fraught with some danger too.
Tom Hawkins missing the start of the year will hurt but if talents like Sam De Koning, Brad Close, Tanner Bruhn and Max Holmes continue to improve, it’s a good sign.
Sydney will bounce back and finish top four again, and you can never discount the likes of Melbourne and Richmond.
Carlton fans, I think you will be happier that finals should be coming your way, but if you don’t get there… yikes!
DEREK SAYS: I work in Mildura and live in Adelaide but my football heart is in Perth, and last year, that was a tough gig, when West Coast finished just 4 per cent away from its second wooden spoon.
The only thing that went right was the novelty bets I placed on Josh Kennedy in his eight-goal last game for West Coast.
I fear they haven’t culled their ageing list hard enough for 2023, and that could become awkward later in the season, when I predict an injury-prone Luke Shuey will hand the captaincy to Tom Barrass.
But if NicNat can fix that dad bod over summer, and Jeremy McGovern hasn’t spent another four weeks on a Phuket beach, perhaps we can turn it around. I’d take one win over the Cats, just to briefly silence their insufferable fans.
SARAH SAYS: Richmond. That’s it.
ROB SAYS: Too old, too slow, too late. That was the catch cry of many non-believers when Geelong made the finals last year.
Now it’s “too old, too slow, too good” … and they will be right in the mix again next year.
Sydney were shattered after their grand final loss last year but should bounce back and again be a force along with Melbourne, Brisbane and Collingwood (could’ve, would’ve, should’ve).
Supercars
MITCH SAYS: Again could be a biased selection but it’s time … Cam Waters should win the 2023 Supercars Championship.
Finishing second, fifth and second in the past three series would burn for the 28-year-old and provided Tickford Racing can provide the race car for him, he has the ability to do so.
A lot will also depend on defending champion Shane Van Gisbergen and the way he drives next year.
With a new-look Supercars series following the exit of Holden for Chevrolet, I think some sting will go out of the series for supporters. By no means will it mean less spectators at events, just the parochial nature of the Ford versus Holden rivalry will be missing.
