Here we go again, the 2024 footy season is upon us and will be a cracker in C1 with a very strong competition. After a having a 2023 with only 9 teams it will be great to be back up to a 10 team league.
Nice to see a few getting involved this year in the chat, Highpants and Gaz hopefully we can keep it up for the year, maybe a few more will tag along for the journey.
My ladder predictions for the year
1.Kalamunda: 8 wins in a very strong B grade competition should put them in good from for 2024, in B Grade Melville and Swan Athletic didn't get close to that combined in the year prior so it shows the quality of the club as a whole. They have had a strong colts and a good depth in the lunch time warriors reserve grade.
2. Swan Athletic: They are big, they run hard, they are well coached and they play their home ground to the highest of standard. They beat the eventual premiers Ballajura at home late in the season but weren't able to progress through in the finals series with a defeat to Melville. They have a great colts and reserves team which will keep their squad strong through the winter months.
3. Melville: Probably the hardest team to place in this years competition. Every year they manage to get into the finals in C1 with grand final losses in 2020,2021 and a good final series last year beating Jandakot at home, beating Swan Athletic away before being knock out in a prelim against the premiers Ballajura. They Haven't had a strong colts for a few years, and a ressies team that weren't up to scratch last year. Finishing third is a safe bet but they could rise as far as 1st and drop to as low as 7th. Renovations of their home deck will reduce their home ground advantage from the usual auskick sized home base that they play well at.
4. Mosman Park: I have been lucky enough to watch the Mossies up close over the last two years and they will have no issues at all with the jump. The biggest smoky to win it IMO. We won't get a true reflection of how they will go in C1 until a matchup with Jandakot in round 4. With Canning Vale being a poor side round 1, Cockburn in round 2 and Hammersley in round 3 it will be very interesting to see how they shape up. Could they make another astronomical rise as Brentwood did last year.
5. Jandakot: It was a toss up between Jandakot who snuck into finals last year or the relegation team in Hammersley. With a strong ressies, colts and quality thirds side they should be challenging again for a spot on the outskirts of the finals.
6. Hammersley Carine: Very hard to place Hammersley this year, 0 wins in 2023 in Bgrade. My last memories of playing them was they were a much older side at the time and hopefully that has changed. Could Finish top 3 but this is a very strong competition here.
7: Carlisle: They really haven't shown anything last year and was only slightly better in 2022. Whilst I do love the hard and rough approach to footy, they almost have an Essendon like appeal with the style not producing a rise on the ladder. Happy to be proven wrong as they are a very vital team to have in C1 and I have thoroughly enjoyed the battles over the years. A strong Carlisle teams keeps the C1 competition healthy.
8: Cockburn Lakes: 6164 Represent!! They have been on a steady rise through the grades but I feel this is where the trend will stop. C2 to C1 has always been a very difficult grade to adjust to, bar a few exceptions. Good to see that they've grown as a club and have a thirds team running around.
9.Thornlie: My opinion has not change since last year. Purely just don't have the talent to keep up with the teams above them.
10. Canning Vale: I thought highly of them heading into 2023 but last year's effort was subpar, lucky enough to stay in C1 but it will simply be an extension of time for their eventual relegation.
Looking forward to a great year legends,
