Alexandra
Coach: Lee Wilson.
Last year: Beaten finalists.
Players to watch: Captain/centre Tyler Ford, who scored 110 points and was close to being the Central Otago player of the season, hooker Brad Allen, back after a season in Ireland, midfielder Michael Murtagh-Loader and the versatile Taura Wilson.
The oil: The cluster of Irish imports, who contributed massively in 2023 and 2024, have all returned home and will be missed. ‘‘Life rolls on for them and us,’’ coach Wilson said. ‘‘We’ve retained all our local players and picked up a loose forward from Scotland, Callum Fitzpatrick. Other newbies are backs Dean McLeod, from Canterbury, Reilly Park, from Dunedin, and lock/flanker Joshua Scobie, also from Dunedin.’’
Predicted finish: Semifinalists.
Arrowtown
Coach: Jackson Wallace.
Last year: A less than vintage season, with the team winning only three of their 12 matches and missing the playoffs.
Players to watch: Captain Ryan Egerton, who as a youthful 31-year-old provides inspiration from wing, fullback or first five, midfielder Ben Sisson, who was the team’s top try-scorer in 2024, first five Damian Ratwatte, speedy French newcomer Victor Riviol and a cluster of new loose forwards, including Aidan Conrad-Hinga.
The oil: Wallace is quietly optimistic his team, who beat Clinton and Wyndham in preseason games, will be more competitive this year. ‘‘We’ve got a squad of 28, which is encouraging to start with.’’
Wallace’s deputy coach is former rep lock Malcolm Sutherland.
Predicted finish: Semifinalists.
Cromwell
Coach: Roger Dawson.
Last year: Won five, lost seven and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Players to watch: Inspirational leader, lock Stefan Blakeborough, utility back Rory Ward, flanker Jack Dunshea and prop Alex Chubb.
The oil: Dawson takes over as coach after successful stints in charge of Invercargill clubs Blues and Star. Assisting is Sana Muliana, brother of former All Black Mils. Cromwell has lost halfback and former captain Ben Maxwell to Maniototo and hooker Jackson Clark, who is not playing this season. Midfielder Rhys Harrold, who contributed 71 points in 2024, will miss the early season games through injury. There are six new players in the squad of 30, which is light on experienced backs.
Predicted finish: Will be close to the semifinals.
Maniototo
Coach: Ken Willis.
Last year: Won six and lost seven, making it to the semifinals, where they came unstuck against top dogs Upper Clutha.
Players to watch: Classy fullback Doug Smith, first five Daniel Adam, midfielder Jack Wild, halfback Matt Horne and a welcome newcomer from Cromwell, halfback Ben Maxwell.
The oil: Coach Willis is quietly confident about the season ahead, but wishes Maniototo were not playing the champion Upper Clutha side first up. ‘‘Farming commitments mean we’re always slow starters, but we’ll see what happens,’’ said Willis, who is confident the squad has enough depth — except perhaps in the front row — to make it to the semifinals again. Sam Jopp is back after a year, but prop Lachlan Hooper is a loss.
Predicted finish: Close to the semifinals.
Matakanui Combined
Coach: Ben Peters.
Last year: Failed to win any of their 12 games, but were usually competitive.
Players to watch: No 8 Dean Sinnamon, flanker Archie McRae, lock Cam Gray and experienced front-rowers Mike Phillips and Nick Gee.
The oil: Having retained most of last season’s squad while reclaiming experienced back Cam Davies and Chris Nolan (a veteran of more than 200 appearances), coach Peters is confident the team will be competitive. Matak are well off for backs, but could do with a couple more sturdy forwards.
Predicted finish: A semifinal spot probably just out of reach.
Upper Clutha
Coach: Alex Dickson.
Last year: A phenomenal season. Lost the White Horse Trophy to Wakatipu, but won their other 12 matches, scoring 649 points (including 80 tries) at an average of 46 points per game, and walloped Alexandra 46-10 in the final.
Players to watch: Lock and captain Lachlan Garrick, midfielder Oliver Stirling, prop Ben McKeich (who scored 11 tries last season) and speedy fullback/winger Henry Schikker.
The oil: Losing halfback/first five Brady Kingan, who contributed 169 points in 2024, and winger Thomas Jarman, who scored 16 tries, rather seriously depletes the backline, but there are still ample high-quality players left. Newcomers include loose forwards Fergus Read, a North Otago representative, and Joe Turnbull, from New Plymouth, plus goalkicker Brodie Flannery, who last represented Upper Clutha in 2021, and Josh Roberts, back from Australia.
Predicted finish: Hard to imagine them not contesting the final again.
Wakatipu
Coach: Jordan Manihera.
Last year: Made dramatic progress until nosed out by Alexandra at home in the semis. Claimed the White Horse Trophy, giving Upper Clutha their only defeat of the season.
Players to watch: Speedy outside backs Jamie Natapu, Connor Hamlin and Xavier Sadler, goalkicking midfielder Rube Peina, halfback James Valentine and forwards Thomas Ria, Don Lolo and Phil Kingsbury.
The oil: Coach Manihera is chuffed he has virtually his entire lineup from 2024 back again, the solitary exception being lock Raf Tahuna, who has retired after more than 100 appearances. Manihera is encouraged with the number of young players who have joined the club. Wakatipu has the bye first up before defending the White Horse Trophy against Alexandra.
Predicted finish: Should feature in the final.
