The competition has expanded to nine teams with the inclusion of a side from Southland and a Queenstown team back into the fold.
Last year’s champion, Caversham, must start favourite but, like most clubs, has had changes, especially at senior coach level, where Malcolm Fleming takes over from Tim Horner.
Fleming is highly experienced and has previously coached at National League level. He also has connections with the English West Ham club and has recently been concentrating on coaching and improving young players with his Dunedin Academy and King’s High School.
While Fleming will clearly field the core of Caversham’s championship-winning side, he is keen to introduce new young blood to freshen up the squad. Caversham won every game last year so will be hard-pressed to match that.
Caversham plays Roslyn-Wakari at Tonga Park today, and will hope for a better result than the recent 4-0 loss suffered in a pre-season match in Invercargill against new boys Southland United.
Roslyn-Wakari has retained coach Colin Thom but has also lost a few players from last year, who headed overseas. However, it has also had a player influx and did quite well in pre-season matches.
In the perennial hunt for goals, Roslyn’s cutting edge will centre on strikers Tennessee Kinghorn and Nathan Wilkie, with midfield supply from team captain Tom Connor, Mike Sannum and Reid Hulleman, and a steady keeper in Tom Stevens.
Third-placed last year, Mosgiel appointed new boss Craig Whitson, who inherited a strong squad from previous coach Andrew Brook. There is lots of attacking menace in Regan Coldicott, Connor Neil, Riley Anderton and Cody Brook, coming back from injury.
Mosgiel’s national league defender Cam McPhail is already playing well, combining with central midfield dynamo Morgan Day. However, as with other local teams, supporters will struggle to identify some new faces, such as Andreas Hirczy, Fernando Montado and Joe Quilliam.
Dunedin Technical finished second last year but has lost 10 players from last year as they leave the city after graduating or head overseas.
Technical coach Tony Martin has brought new players in to add to his hard core of keeper Zane Green, David Haymen, Cam Higgins and Liam Lockhart in defence.
Tim McLennan is likely to take over the mantle of last year’s Southern League top scorer Alistair Rickerby, with strong support from Ross Howard and Mike Neaverson.
Fiachra Cullen, Oscar McCallion and Lorenz Kissing are new names who could feature for Technical.
Varsity has the first-round bye, giving coach Darren Hart a chance to draw breath then assess and organise his late-arriving student players.
Green Island has looked tidy in pre-season. A young side, literally capable of punching above its weight, it is well organised by Richard Kerr-Bell and the experienced Kevin Scoullar.
Northern’s location at the Gardens attracts student players, yet for coach Lewis Houghton it brings the same seasonal changes in personnel. Pre-season had veteran Dave Henderson dusted off and playing deep.
Southland United and Queenstown have talent to burn, but always struggle to put results on the board.
Southland will be boosted by its pre-season win over Caversham and Portuguese coach Luis Paiva welcomes his team’s involvement after a gap that goes back to 2011, when Southland Spirit competed. Club side Old Boys played in the Southern League in 2013.
Southland United has been guaranteed a three-year entry without fear of relegation.
Paiva himself played for Southern United, and for Thistle last season and scored 15 goals, but when United visits Dunedin, the likes of Anton Fitzgerald and Jack Boland will be better known.
A former coach with the New York Red Bulls, Jamie Whitmarsh has amassed a Queenstown Rovers squad with plenty of international talent.
Queenstown has a big 23-man squad and there is top quality in keeper Dan Bocattios, Southern United player Nial Malone, former Caversham keeper/striker Callum Flaws and two of New Zealand’s best futsal strikers in Daniel de Souza and Carlos Herrmann.
