THE South West District Football League season kicks-off this weekend, with round one to see some enthralling clashes between key teams to welcome-in the 2023 campaign.

The most hotly anticipated clash of the round is likely to be last year’s premier, Cavendish, who will hope to get its title defence off to a strong start against 2022 preliminary finalist, Coleraine.

New Bloods senior coach and last year’s league best and fairest, Sam Gibson, will be looking to maintain the success achieved by the club as he takes on greater responsibility for their success.

This is Gibson’s first time as a senior coach, but he told the Hamilton Spectator that his job will be made easier by the fact that he is backed by a club which has shown it knows how to win.

“Success breeds success and with the structures already in place I don’t want to change too much but rather build upon what’s already in place,” Gibson said.

“We won’t be changing too much, just tweaking little things.”

Meanwhile, Coleraine will head into this season looking for redemption after falling short of their own premiership aspirations last season.

Ryan McClure is set to continue in his capacity as senior coach after a strong first campaign in 2022 but recognises that the time is now for his group to take the next step.

“We want to build upon this core group of players from the under-17s who are coming into the senior ranks which will add to our depth as they commit their future to the club,” McClure said when his reappointment was announced last year.

“Being a young side, we lacked a little experience at critical moments, but the boys and I have gained the knowledge we need to succeed.”

Dartmoor vs Heywood

LAST year’s runner-up Dartmoor will be raring to go when it hosts Heywood tomorrow, with Jayden Polaski to once again take the reins of a club with the premiership in its sights.

It’s not as though the Giants have been short on success in recent history, with a premiership in 2017, while they were recognised as minor premiers in the COVID-interrupted 2021 season, so there should be no shortage of belief within the club that they’re capable of reaching the pinnacle.

As for Heywood, after finishing in fifth spot last season they’ll see themselves as a real chance of causing some damage in the finals under the guidance of newly minted senior coach Sammy Walsh-Bannam, with key figures such as Leon Davis set to return to the club.

In saying that, the Lions look to be setting up for the long term and with Walsh-Bannam said their goal was to develop their young talent while also being competitive on a week-to-week basis.

“It was one thing I really pushed for, developing our young players and looking after them,” he said.

“They’re the ones who are going to push our club forward, but on an individual level for each of them I want to see them succeed and take their footy as far as they can.”

Westerns vs Tyrendarra

TWO clubs with newly-appointed senior coaches will clash at Portland’s Hanlon Park on Saturday, with home side Westerns still awaiting the completion of the new facility at Alexandra Park.

Westerns had a rough 2022 season on the field, winning just one game, however new coach Winis Imbi has expressed confidence in their ability to make improvements over the course of the season.

“We’re happy with the recruits that we’ve been able to bring in… the goal is to ensure that they’re not ‘hired guns’ and that they’ll be sticking around to take the club forward,” Imbi said last month.

On the flipside, the Darras are a club who are well and truly on the hunt for a premiership this season, as both their seniors and reserves sides made the top five last year, but neither could produce a deep finals run.

Bolstered by new player-coach, Sam Anson, who arrived late last season and was amongst their best afield in almost every appearance he made, Tyrendarra is confident it can get over the hill, this time around.

“We’re going for that premiership this season, that’s the goal we’ve all got in mind and it’s something I think we all believe we’re capable of achieving,” Anson said.

Heathmere vs Branxholme-Wallacedale

A REVAMPED Heathmere squad will play host to Branxholme-Wallacedale at Heathmere Recreation Reserve, with hopes they can get themselves pointed in the right direction.

The Meres have made big strides off the field to push the club in a positive direction after their struggles in recent years, with senior coach, Adrian Hann hoping this can translate to some on-field success.

“After speaking to some players in the group, a lot of them wanted to see us win some games,” Hann said.

“Obviously we can’t expect to leap straight to premiership contention, but there’s also no reason why we can’t be competitive week-in, week-out and hopefully win a few games.”

Meanwhile, the Saints are in a position to compete for a spot in finals after narrowly missing out last season and will be eyeing-off this match-up as a chance to hit the ground running.