Round 1, 2025 – Men’s & Women’s Premier Division Preview
Written by Michael Shillito
Footy is here! Welcome to the 2025 season, and we get a brand new season under way this weekend with five Men’s Prems games and four Women’s Prems games.
Over the next several months, dreams will be fulfilled and shattered. New stars will emerge, while others will fade. Hopes rising and falling with each week’s results. There’ll be momentum swings, upsets and streaks. Teams will have times when they’re struggling to produce their best form; but keep working hard, the breakthrough victory could be just around the corner.
North Shore broke a 17 year premiership drought in the Men’s last year, completing an undefeated season. Will this be the start of a dynasty? There’s nine other teams who will do everything in their power to stop that.
In the Women’s, East Coast already have a dynasty with the last three flags. Number four is in their sights and the other clubs will need to lift their performance to stop them.
Sydney Uni have the bye in the Women’s, they have another week to prepare for the start of their season. But for ten Men’s clubs and eight Women’s clubs, let the games begin.
Sit back, fasten your seat belts, and enjoy the ride. Our players will do everything they can to put on something special.
MENS PREMIER DIVISION
Inner West Magpies v Sydney University Students
Picken Oval, Saturday 1:00pm
There’s always plenty of feeling in an Inner West derby. The Magpies and the Students have had some closely-fought battles over the years, and this is certainly a mouth-watering way to open the 2025 season. You can expect to see both sides going in hard and leaving nothing in the tank in the quest for local bragging rights in this contest.
The Magpies returned to finals action in 2024 after missing out the year before, and will be looking to capitalise on the momentum they built last year. This will be a good test for them, against a strong Sydney Uni club that’s usually in the mix when we get to the business end of the season. Both clubs have some new faces to bolster their ranks, and this will be an early test of how they can expect to see their season unfold.
Last year saw the Students get up by 51 points on a very wet Friday night at Picken Oval in round 5. The return game in round 17 saw the Students prevail again by 31 points; and two weeks later they ended the Magpies’ season with a 51-point result in the Elimination Final. But despite getting up three times last year, this year is a whole new ball game; and on the Magpies’ turf, the black and whites will be sure to contest every possession and make life difficult for the Students.
Both clubs contested the Sydney-Canberra Invitational, and have a couple of trial game results under their belt. The Magpies went down by five points in a thriller on the road against Eastlake, following it up with a 32-point win against Pennant Hills at Picken Oval in a result that gives the Magpies plenty of cause for optimism about 2025. The Students also had a trip to the Capital, getting up by seven points over Queanbeyan and then recording a 61-point win over Ainslie at Monarch.
After playing finals last year, both clubs have reason for confidence in their prospects for 2025. And it all starts here. A win against their rival would be a great way to hit the ground running; and this should be a contest that will have both clubs keen with anticipation.
South-West Sydney Blues v UTS Bats
Monarch Oval, Saturday 2:00pm
The Blues and the Bats hit the Macarthur region for a season opener that will tell us plenty about the prospects for both clubs in season 2025.
South-West Sydney had a very encouraging first season in Premier Division last season, finishing in sixth place. But they’ll need to work even harder to capitalise on that and ensure there’s no second-year blues for these second-year Blues. While the Bats, who haven’t been in the finals since 2016, look to have strengthened their lineup for this season and have hopes of breaking that finals drought.
The teams split their meetings last year. In round 4 at Rosedale, the Bats got out to an early lead and hung on for an 11-point win. But the Blues turned the tables at Waverley in round 14, controlling proceedings to record a 56-point victory.
Both clubs contested the Sydney-Canberra Invitational during the pre-season. The Blues put up a credible performance against North Shore at Blacktown, leading during the third quarter but going down by 23 points before going down by 32 points to Belconnen at Monarch in the second week. Meanwhile the Bats were looking good in the pre-season, with a 53-point win on the road at Tuggeranong before holding Gungahlin goal-less in a 74-point win at Picken Oval.
Can the Blues build on what they achieved in their first season at this level? It all starts here. And they have a challenge first-up against a UTS team that must surely be feeling that this is the year they return to the finals after an absence of many years. A first-up win here against a potential rival for that crucial finals spot is a great way to kick-start the season.
North Shore Bombers v Pennant Hills Demons
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 2:20pm
North Shore unfurl their premiership flag at Gore Hill before their quest to defend their title gets under way. But the Bombers can expect a test from a fired-up Pennant Hills team that have premiership aspirations of their own; and this won’t be a walk in the park for the defending champions. You won’t watch to miss a moment of the action; and even if you can’t get to Gore Hill, you can catch it live on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/4600 ]
The two sides met three times last year, with the Bombers taking the win on all three occasions. North Shore took out the season opener by 64 points at Gore Hill, following it up with a 32-point result at Mike Kenny in round 11. With a Grand Final berth on the line in the Major Semi-Final, the Bombers prevailed by 35 points in a low-scoring contest at Blacktown. Both sides have strong lineups, many of them home-grown; and are usually in the mix when the business end of the season comes around.
Both clubs contested the Sydney-Canberra Invitational in the pre-season, fine-tuning their preparations for the season ahead. The Bombers got up in both their games, beating South-West Sydney by 23 points at Blacktown before holding Queanbeyan to a single goal to record a 125-point demolition at Gipps Road. It was a tougher pre-season campaign for the Demons, who lost by 63 points to Ainslie in Canberra and by 32 points to the Magpies at Picken Oval.
It’s a tough draw for the Demons, against a North Shore side who have only lost once on the synthetic at the Goretress in the last five years. But the Demons will be backing themselves in this contest and are looking to cause the upset. But they’ve got plenty of work to do against a very strong North Shore team whose quest for back-to-back titles starts here.
Manly-Warringah Wolves v East Coast Eagles
Weldon Oval, Saturday 2:50pm
2024 was a memorable season for Manly, who had a great run late in the year to make it to the Grand Final. This year, their aspiration is to go one game better and take out the premiership. But there’s work to be done, as they commence this season against an East Coast team who will lift for this match.
The Wolves would have to feel confident in their prospects for this season after their strong finish to last year, which saw them make their way to the Grand Final. They didn’t win, but to get through to that game underlines the rise of the Wolves through the last couple of years.
East Coast have struggled in the last few years; but on their day they can be giant-killers. As they demonstrated last year, when they knocked over the then defending premiers twice. But after three wooden spoons in a row, the Eagles are doing everything in their power to make this the year they make a move up the ladder.
These teams met twice last year, with the Wolves getting the job done comfortably on both occasions; recording a 95-point win at Weldon in round 4 and following it up with a 63-point result at Bruce Purser in round 14.
Manly didn’t play the Sydney-Canberra Invitational, but they’ve put in some big pre-season efforts on the training track; and now they’re ready for action. The Eagles have two pre-season games on the board, getting a 24-point win on the road at Belconnen but going down to Eastlake by 17 points in the heat at Gipps Road.
Manly will go into this contest as favourites. They did so well last year to move up the ladder and then get into the competition decider; and although they didn’t take out the flag, they know what’s needed to get it done this year. They’ve got a strong lineup and they’re ready. But they have to get past an East Coast team with nothing to lose and who are keen to make a statement early. The Wolves will have to ride out some pressure from the Eagles if they’re going to get up here.
UNSW-ES Bulldogs v St George Dragons
Henson Park, Sunday 1:40pm
Our first Sunday footy for the year comes from Henson Park, where the Bulldogs play host to the Dragons. After both clubs experienced 2024 seasons that fell short of their lofty aspirations, both go into this match to begin their quest for redemption in the new season.
After playing in five Grand Finals in a row, winning four of them, the Bulldogs were only able to win four games in 2024 and finished in eighth spot. The Dragons also missed out on the finals, with five wins and a seventh place finish. Both clubs have hopes of returning to this year’s playoff action; and the campaign to be a part of the business end of the season starts here.
The Dragons had the edge in the clubs’ meetings last season. In what was originally scheduled to be the season opener before being moved to the June long weekend, the Dragons prevailed by 67 points at Blacktown. The return game at Mike Kenny went down to the wire, with the Dragons getting up by just two points. And there shouldn’t be much to separate the teams this time round.
The Bulldogs didn’t play the Sydney-Canberra Invitational, running their own pre-season campaign. Pre-season was successful for the Dragons, as they beat Gungahlin on the road by 74 points before a 24-point win over Tuggeranong at Picken Oval. And now that we’re playing for competition points, they’re ready.
It’s a long season ahead, and there’s plenty of work to be done for both teams. But to hit the ground running and take the points in the opening game will be a massive boost and give the feeling that they’re on the right track for the challenges to come. That’s the prize on offer here for the team that’s good enough to take it. 2025 is the year to make a move up the ladder, and that quest starts right here.
WOMENS PREMIER DIVISION
Parramatta Goannas v UTS Bats
Gipps Road Oval, Saturday 12:15pm
Our Women’s season kicks off on Saturday when the Goannas host the Bats at Gipps Road, in a clash that will give us an insight into the season ahead for both clubs. Four points on the line in a crunch game. The best place to see the action unfold is at Gipps Road, the next best is live on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/4601 ]
In an extremely tight battle for finals positions last year, the Goannas were able to get into the double-chance; but their luck ran out at the business end of the season, as they dropped back to back finals by less than a kick. Meanwhile, UTS were unable to follow up their Grand Final appearance in 2023 and just missed the finals in 2024. Both clubs have a point to prove this year, and this game is the perfect opportunity to begin their campaign of redemption.
The Goannas had the edge over the Bats last year, recording a six-point win at Gipps Road in round 9. Then in the final round of the regular season, with a spot in the finals on the line, the Goannas dominated proceedings at Waverley Oval to get up by 40 points and knock the Bats out of the finals.
Parramatta didn’t get to play in the Sydney-Canberra Invitational, being drawn the bye in the first week and their game against St George in the second week being called off. Meanwhile the Bats had a successful pre-season campaign, getting up by 22 points on the road against Tuggeranong and then holding Gungahlin scoreless to win by 90 points at Picken Oval.
Both clubs, after a 2024 season that promised so much, had disappointing ends to their season; and have had to wait six long months for the opportunity to put things right. But now the time has come. A new season, the slate wiped clean; and now it’s time to get on with the job. To hit the ground running and get the new year off to a flying start. It’s a goal that only one club will successfully achieve.
North Shore Bombers v Pennant Hills Demons
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 12:40pm
A new year, and a new chapter in the rivalry as the Bombers and Demons lock horns on the Gore Hill synthetic. It’s an exciting start to the season; and if you’re not able to get to Gore Hill, make sure you see the action unfold on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/4599 ]
North Shore made finals last year, but their season came to an end in the sudden-death Elimination Final. Meanwhile Pennant Hills weren’t able to get themselves to the playoffs, two wins for the year giving them am eighth place finish. Both clubs have aspirations to go higher this year, and this is a great opportunity to get their campaign off to a solid start.
Last year saw the Bombers have the edge in the two meetings between these clubs, as they defeated the Demons by 23 points at Gore Hill in last season’s opener. The return game at Mike Kenny in round 11 saw the Bombers prevail by 35 points as they embarked on a winning streak that would take them to the finals. But this is a new season, and a fresh start.
Pennant Hills didn’t play the Sydney-Canberra Invitational, but they’ve trained hard through the pre-season and are keen to get some games played. North Shore had a successful campaign, defeating Eastlake by 116 points in Canberra and then getting up by 32 points against Queanbeyan at Gipps Road.
And now we’re ready for the competition to start. Both teams will be keen to improve on their 2024 efforts, and that starts here. This should be a hard-fought affair as both clubs try to gain an early edge in the new season.
Manly-Warringah Wolves v East Coast Eagles
Weldon Oval, Saturday 12:50pm
Last year’s Grand Finalists face off in a clash that’s sure to produce plenty of anticipation and excitement. Three flags in a row for the Eagles, but this is a test of their ability to stay at the top for another season as they hit the road for a trip to Weldon.
Last year these clubs clashed four times, splitting their results 2-2. At Weldon last year in round 4, the Wolves produced a 37-point win; but the Eagles were 19 points too good when they met at Bruce Purser in round 14. The Eagles finished minor premiers, but it was the Wolves who were first into the Grand Final after getting up by two points in a thriller in the Major Semi-Final. But in the showpiece game, the Eagles were the better side and produced a 31-point win to hold up the cup.
The Eagles took the game that mattered, but the other results show that the Wolves were capable of matching it with them; and that’s the belief they’ll be taking into this game. It’s on Manly’s turf, and they’ll be throwing everything they have at the Eagles. This won’t be an easy game for the defending champions.
Manly didn’t play in the Sydney-Canberra Invitational, but they’ve trained hard through the pre-season and this is a challenge they’ve been counting down to. The Eagles just had the one game in the pre-season comp, but they made it count with a comprehensive 115-point win over Eastlake in scorching heat at Gipps Road.
These were the Grand Final teams last year, and both have high hopes of being there again for the big dance this year. There’s a lot of footy to be played before that, but this game is more than just the four points; it’s a big psychological edge against a key opponent. Plenty to play for between two quality lineups. This should be a cracker.
UNSW-ES Bulldogs v St George Dragons
Henson Park, Sunday 12:00pm
Wins were hard to come by for the Bulldogs and the Dragons last year. But with a new season comes new players, new hopes and a new opportunity. And at Henson Park on Sunday, one of these teams will record a first-up win that will do wonders for the morale and self-belief for the challenges that lie ahead.
UNSW-ES won four games last season to finish seventh. Two of those wins were against the Dragons; by 49 points at Blacktown in the June long weekend and by 70 points at Gipps Road in round 13. The Dragons’ first season in Premier Division last year fell short of what they hoped for, and they were unable to win a game. But for both clubs, there were lessons to be learned, there are new recruits and the training has stepped up. And now it’s time to stand and deliver.
In the pre-season, the Bulldogs didn’t play the Sydney-Canberra Invitational. The Dragons had one game, a 52-point win over Gungahlin on the road before their second game against the Goannas was called off. But now it’s time for action.
Last year wasn’t easy for either club. But a new season is here, the slate is wiped clean and it’s time to start again. And for one of these teams, a win is worth so much more than just the four points. It’s a sign they’re on the right path and ready to move up. There’s some tougher matches to come; but while the sun is shining, it’s time to make the hay of success. And lay a platform to build on for 2025. There won’t be any shortage of motivation for this contest.
