Soccer: Feast of derbies kick off season

A feast of local derbies will kick off the 2012 South West Soccer Association season on Sunday, with spectators also set to witness the birth of a new inter-club rivalry.

Busselton Soccer Club will host Geographe Bay at Churchill Park in women’s division 1 at 9.15am, followed by men’s reserves and premier league at 1pm and 3pm respectively.

Also at 1pm, the first clash between Busselton and the Busselton Redbacks in women’s premier league will take shape, after the injection of new youth and players in the off-season forced the club to create two teams.

Jason Blackney, who had the dual coaching role, said while it would be “tough” to watch players he had prepared during the pre-season squaring off against each other, there would be no love lost as combatants sought “first blood” in the internal derby.

“There are a number of senior players spread across both sides who have played together or been friends for 10 years,” he said.

“We’ve selected two distinct squads to give them the best chance to mould as a team.

With the quality of youth coming through, I’m expecting both teams to be very competitive and top four or five.”

The coach said Busselton players to watch young midfielder Danica ailey and promoted division 1 player Ariana Longmore, while the Redbacks would boast last season’s division player of the year Chelsea Homer and Longmore’s sister, Siobhan who had “a good football head on her shoulders”.

Men’s premier league reigning champions Busselton will take a different make-up into the season, after some senior players stepped up to the Bunbury Force in the Perth League and Tristan Carroll filled the coaching spot vacated by Andy Cowley, who guided the club to successive titles.

President Bryan Caddick said the side was in a transition phase, with a focus on building youth for a new era of league dominance in the next five years and opportunities at higher levels.

“(Carroll’s) philosophy is just hold the ball as much as possible and be patient rather than the all-out attack of Andy,” he said.

“We really want to build those kids up… (the goal is) top four but our ambitions aren’t as high as we set last year.”

Cowley will return to the pitch in a boost for the backline while 17-yearold gun midfielder Zac Humble has been elevated into the starting lineup.

Despite the defection of reserves coach Ryan Turner and about six players to Geographe Bay, the reserves are eying a top three finish after a disappointing 2011 season.

Caddick said the team featured the “cream of the cream” from local youth stocks who would also be rotated into the premier league for experience.

In division 1, Busselton will start their campaign against Eaton on Sunday at Churchill Park from 11.15am, after an undefeated regular season last year.

Geographe Bay spokesman Mike Ryan said there was an air of confidence and excitement in the ranks with the club to field a league and reserves team for the first time in its three year history.

Meanwhile, Dunsborough Towners have a first round bye in men’s premier league, while the reserves and women’s league sides will play in Margaret River.