{"id":99676,"date":"2015-03-17T00:05:48","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T14:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=99676"},"modified":"2020-11-20T11:50:21","modified_gmt":"2020-11-20T01:50:21","slug":"2015-season-team-previews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/03\/17\/2015-season-team-previews\/","title":{"rendered":"2015 Season Team Previews"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
FLASHBACK: Panthers captain Damien Walters accepts the 1st Division trophy from Evolution Solar’s Steve Tilley at the 2014 Grand Final … but with Walters now retired, the big question is can the Panthers make it to four 1st Division Grand Finals in a row?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/a>March 17, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Martin Stern<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2015 Evolution Solar Football League competition kicks off on Saturday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s shaping up to be a wonderful season and should be very competitive across all three divisions.<\/p>\n

In my opinion, Nanango are still the team to beat in First Division, but with Wests’ formidable squad I believe they will throw out a very serious challenge.<\/p>\n

Second Division, however, is very open and will be closely fought out.<\/p>\n

As for the Women\u2019s Division, Nanango are still favourites but I would not be surprised if Wests or Barambah – or even a revamped Gunnettes – will make life very difficult for them.<\/p>\n

The standard of the local game should rise this year with the arrival of many experienced players as well as some very youthful talent.<\/p>\n

And with the new season about to burst upon us, I thought it might be timely to review this season’s teams.<\/p>\n

Here’s how they’re shaping up:<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Nanango Men<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The 2014 Men\u2019s First Division Premiers will start the new season with quite a few new faces.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s club captain Damien Walters and Nanango legend Jeff Froloff have called full-time, retiring from the game.<\/p>\n

However, Nanango has secured the services of Harry Sterling and Hayden Steen, two quality players.<\/p>\n

The big difference this year will be replacing the ever-reliable Jeff Froloff and Damien Walters in central defence.<\/p>\n

“Considering we have lost out two central fullbacks, we have spent a significant amount of time trying to establish a new defending unit,” Nanango coach Lauren Mangan said.<\/p>\n

“I expect to have a strong First Division team again, although I’m mindful of a few key changes and I imagine the way we play our game will also change.”<\/p>\n

Second Division continues to be a developmental team with several new faces again this year.<\/p>\n

But there is no doubt – after winning the Grand Final three years in a row – that Nanango are still the team to beat in First Division.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Gains:<\/strong> Harry Sterling, Hayden Steen, Matt Krosh<\/li>\n
  • Losses:<\/strong> Jeff Froloff, Damien Walters, Steve Jackson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Nanango Women<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Once again, Nanango women will be a tough nut to crack.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Although they have lost a few players who are moving out of the area, they have recruited replacements who have come up through the Cadet ranks.<\/p>\n

    Once again, Cassie Kelly will lead a team which will comprise both youth and experience.<\/p>\n

    Nanango women\u2019s coach Alan Downie believes his team is capable of making it three in a row for the Panthers.<\/p>\n

    “The girls have been training hard in preseason and are as hungry as ever for success,” he said.<\/p>\n

    * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Barambah Men<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    2015 is shaping up to be a challenging year for Barambah United’s First Division men\u2019s team.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    After an extremely exciting 2014 season, culminating with Barambah facing Nanango in the Grand Final six months ago, it will be a new, younger team hitting the field in 2015.<\/p>\n

    Player retirement, job transfers and player movements have seen eight of last year\u2019s First Division players gone from the team sheet for this season.<\/p>\n

    The Second Division team is looking very exciting with former Barambah junior players now filing through to the senior ranks.<\/p>\n

    Sarah Vanderkolk has taken up the challenge of coaching the men\u2019s teams in 2015 and is looking forward to an exciting year.<\/p>\n

    “We have been training hard in the lead-up to this season, integrating the new players and getting them prepared for what will be a step up in competition.,” Sarah said.<\/p>\n

    “I have faith in my players to play good football. No team can ever be discounted.<\/p>\n

    “My aim is to develop these teams through solid training, respect for each other and their opposition and most importantly, belief in themselves as individuals and as a team.<\/p>\n

    “This year will be what it will be, however we won\u2019t be walkovers.”<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Gains:<\/strong> Brice and Ayden Connolly<\/li>\n
    • Losses:<\/strong> Sheldon Livingstone, Jayden Mollenhauer, Brendan Kelly, Chris O\u2019Loughlin, Chris Miller, Andrew Fennell<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Barambah Women<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      The Barambah Women\u2019s team is looking very promising with good numbers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      However, they have lost Elle Mollenhauer, the most prolific scorer in South Burnett Women\u2019s football (Elle is playing for the South West Queensland Thunder Women\u2019s team in the NPL).<\/p>\n

      “We are pumped after our success at Dalby and although it was a small carnival, our girls have taken a lot of positives from the way they played on that day,” Sarah Vanderkolk said,<\/p>\n

      “Some players are carrying niggling injuries but with solid numbers we hope to have a good rotation.<\/p>\n

      “We are excited for the season to start.”<\/p>\n

      * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Gunners Men<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Once again, Gunners will have to build up their squad from scratch, something coach Debbie Ovens has become very used to doing over the past couple of years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Gunners will go into the 2015 competition with a very youthful but talented squad of players.<\/p>\n

      This team has often surprised its harshest critics, winning the President’s Cup against Nanango in 2013 and winning the Second Division Grand final last year against Nanango.<\/p>\n

      “Our biggest advantage is that we are an unknown quantity. Along with our youth, skill and enthusiasm, we can go a long way in this competition,” coach Debbie Ovens said.<\/p>\n

      There is no doubt that Gunners will again prove to be handful, and equally little doubt that Debbie will get the best out of her playing roster.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Gains:<\/strong> Brendan Kelly, Kendall Serthistone, Will Ambrose, Jack Kelly, Tommy Schmidhauser, Jordan Hetherington<\/li>\n
      • Losses:<\/strong> Mitch Potter, Matt Major, Hayden Steen, Matt Krosh<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        Gunnettes (Women)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        At the time this went to press, Gunnettes were unable to be contacted, but I’ll update this story when I’m able to.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Gunnettes will again have a young side coached by Tracey Clegg.<\/p>\n

        Last season the girls took giant steps, and with some consolidation this season they should be a force to be reckoned with.<\/p>\n

        * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        Wests Men<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        Wests will go into 2015 in very good shape and could be a serious contender for the premiership. <\/strong><\/p>\n

        With an abundance of new players, it will all depend on how they gel as a team.<\/p>\n

        There is no doubt Wests will stick to their philosophy of playing high possession football, but they will have to improve their finishing, which let them down last year.<\/p>\n

        “I am quietly confident we can do well this year and we will do the best we can,” coach Mauro Buzzo said.<\/p>\n

        Wests have bolstered their squad with 2014 Player of the Year Sheldon Livingstone in the midfield.<\/p>\n

        They have two new quality goalkeepers with the return of Jason Lang – who has had a few years off – and Alex Firman, who played Under 15s with South West Queensland Thunder last year.<\/p>\n

        Along with other new arrivals from Brisbane and locally, they are in with a chance.<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Gains:<\/strong> Sheldon Livingstone, Jayden Mollenhauer, Braden Swan, Ben Mensah, Tony Newman, Tony Fairbrother, Callum Tucker, Ryan Jacobs, Alex Firman, Brandon Walsh, Jaimen Tunstall<\/li>\n
        • Losses:<\/strong> Harry Sterling, Ryan Kelly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          Wests Women<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          Wests women will go into 2015 with a mixture of returning and new players.<\/strong><\/p>\n

          They have lost Cassie Firman to university and, possibly, Michelle Hunter.<\/p>\n

          However, Hayley Hunter has returned which gives them more firepower up front.<\/p>\n

          “The girls have been training well and had a successful trial match against Barambah last week,” coach Trevor Litzow said.<\/p>\n

          “All teams have stepped up this season and are evenly matched.<\/p>\n

          “It would be great to go one better this season after two consecutive Grand Final losses to Nanango.”<\/p>\n

          * * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          The Evolution Solar South Burnett Football League gets underway on Saturday (March 21) with Barambah travelling to Nanango and a local derby between Gunners and Wests in Kingaroy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

          Nanango v Barambah<\/strong> at the Nanango Soccer Ground, Burnett Street, Nanango:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Division 2: 12:30pm<\/li>\n
          • Women\u2019s Division: 2:00pm<\/li>\n
          • Division 1: 3:15pm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Gunners v Wests<\/strong> at Tom Alford Oval, Oliver Bond Street, Kingaroy:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Division 2: 2:00pm<\/li>\n
            • Women\u2019s Division: 3:30pm<\/li>\n
            • Division 1: 5:00pm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              The 2015 Evolution Solar Football League competition kicks off on Saturday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":99726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,68,6],"tags":[1138],"yoast_head":"\n2015 Season Team Previews - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/03\/17\/2015-season-team-previews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"2015 Season Team Previews - southburnett.com.au\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The 2015 Evolution Solar Football League competition kicks off on Saturday\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/03\/17\/2015-season-team-previews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"southburnett.com.au\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-03-16T14:05:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-11-20T01:50:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/20140830panthers1sttrophy.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"620\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"385\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Martin Stern\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Martin Stern\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/03\/17\/2015-season-team-previews\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/03\/17\/2015-season-team-previews\/\",\"name\":\"2015 Season Team Previews - 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