THE WEDNESDAY HORN (ON THURSDAY)

Trying to predict an A-Section season is always fraught with difficulty. Trying to do it in season 2009 is nigh on impossible. Usually you can confidently pinpoint likely relegation candidates and final four contenders with a semblance of confidence. But such is the evenness of this year’s combatants, I would be kidding myself trying to predict how things will pan out. Here, in no particular order, is how the marquee VAFA clubs have fared in the off-season and how they’re shaping up for the year ahead.
Old Scotch
Watching Old Scotch in that first-semi-final last year, you couldn’t help but think to yourself – “as footballers, these blokes will never recover from this”. But whilst I wouldn’t put my house on ‘em in a final against Xavs at league headquarters, they must surely rank as one of the flag fancies in ’09. They did very well to retain the majority of their list and as always have recruited well, adding Nathan Brown, Paul Licuria and James Byrne.  Scotch love a slogan. And this year’s is “Bold, Passionate & Ruthless in ‘09”. I wrote them off big time last year but each time I saw ‘em, they seemed to embody that slogan, save for 15-minutes of snooze time at Elsternwick in September. Will be a great team to watch but how bold, passionate and ruthless they are will only be gauged when they line up against the team from Toorak Park in September.
Old Xaverians
Six years ago, a poison-pen email was circulated among VAFA ranks, predicting the demise of the Old Xaverians Football Club. According to the anonymous writer, the men in red and black should have stuck to selling t-shirts in boutique Greville St stores! As is their way, the club then went out and collected three more A-Section flags. There’s more murmurings of trouble this year, with star on-baller Justin Arnold off to the bush and multiple flag winner Adam Chatfield lured to the EFL. But the acquisition of Matthew Ball, the coming home of Cameron Purss (from Myrtleford) and the return of Matthew Handley to full fitness seem to have offset that. Their pre-season form was spot on and their depth cannot be questioned. They’ll be fine, so don’t even bother with the muck rucking, nay saying and chain emails!
Old Brighton
The final round game at the Beach Oval won’t be forgotten by all who witnessed it for some time. Suffice to say, the ‘Tonners were shattered and firmly believe that they blew the chance of a premiership in the process. As I touched on last week, they have gone on the front foot and recruited very aggressively. David Spriggs (Geelong, Sydney and Port Melbourne), Luke Peel (Port Adelaide and Port Melbourne), Brett Sinclair (Southport and Caulfield Grammarians) seem to be the pick of them.  Every year, at least one A-Section club picks up half a dozen guns and get everyone talking. Sometimes it works, sometimes it goes pear-shaped. There’s a real resolve about this club and the bloggers and coat-tuggers have already installed them as flag favourites. Whatever happens, they’re a must see side.
Collegians
At certain moments last year, the Lions looked as good as any amateur side in recent memory. But they were never really suited to Elsternwick and fluffed their lines against the Beders in both finals. Nick Stone and Nick Ries were both rumoured to be off to Balwyn but both have stayed put and they have also lured Harmit Singh from the Bendigo Bombers. The question mark is the hole left by the retirement of Fergus Watts and on-baller Craig Robbins, who is off to Maffra. But it’s still a good list, they beat Brighton in a pre-season game and they may hold up better than some have predicted.
Uni Blues
As the risk of ripping off the 80s band, The Waterboys, the students came like a comet in Round 1 last year, knocking off the reigning premiers on their own deck. But season 2008 would turn out to be a bit of a nothing year for the Blues. Their young ruckman Jack Watts had a brilliant year, snaring the Woodrow medal. But Jack’s gone backpacking and they may be a little light on for size. They like to make things difficult for pundits and true to form, just to confuse things further, their pre-season form has been first rate.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Old Essendon
OEG were very much the Collegians of B-Section last year. They demolished sides all year, kicked some big bags and really threw their weight around. The fact that they finally broke their finals hoodoo was a formality in the end, given the talent they had at their disposal. But then Evil OEG came out to play on grand final day and they were completely run off their feet by a Marcellin side that took their chances and played as a team. They’ve really had a crack at some good EDFL players and have topped up their list nicely. Along with the Blues, they’re the A-Section wildcard.
St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers
Luke Beveridge may have moved on but the theme remains the same at Brindisi St. And you reckon new coach Owen Lalor won’t have his chargers frothing at the mouth as they tackle the despised OEG this Saturday. James Tyquin takes over as skipper, though in bad news for opposition big-men, Luke Wintle will still be fronting up.  Only Sam Hecker and Mick Hazell (retired) and Pat Nicholls (who’s been snapped up by the VFL) are unavailable from last year’s historic premiership outfit. They’re the hunted now but despite all the talk about their Bayside neighbours, any sane bookie (admittedly a rare breed these days) would have them as flag favourites.
De La Salle
I’ve sunk the slipper into De La over the years and whilst they haven’t set the world on fire, they have a habit of bobbing up unexpectedly and hanging on in A-Section by the skin of their teeth. A lot of people have pencilled them in as relegation fodder in ’09, especially in light of the departure of gun full forward Matthew Moore to the VFL. But I reckon they may surprise. They finished off last year with a bang, have a great record against both Brighton and St Bede’s and quietly fancy their chances.  Their major problem is that they often start seasons slowly. Oh and there’s the Xavier curse, who they haven’t beaten in 13 years and who they front up against this Saturday.
Old Ivanhoe
The Brown Shorts tend to slip under the radar. But they looked first rate at times last year and their kids are as good as anyone’s. The old stereotype of OI sides – large, lumbering and exploitable on big grounds – seems to be redundant these days. They have to stop treading water however and nothing short of a final four finish would satisfy the Hoer faithful. Gerrard Bennett from South Adelaide and Sydney Swans and Paul Jolley from Port Melbourne are the recruits of note.
Marcellin
New Eagles coach Glenn Cox was a super player and a proud clubman – rumour has it that he even subjected his new bride to the cinematic wonders of the B-Section Premiership video on their honeymoon. But Cox and his young side face a massive assignment here. Then again, few gave them any hope in last year’s B-Section granny. They’re a young, small, quick unit who obviously relished the big Elsternwick ground last September. A good, honest, and typical Marcellin outfit who will be no pushovers, particularly at home.