Premiers Spencer Park start the defence of their Lower Great Southern Hockey Association Retravision men’s A-grade title when they face local rivals North Albany at the hockey stadium on Friday night.
Stalwart defender Darren Parkes said his side have lost several players to Perth and university — just as he predicted at the end of last year’s grand final.
“I guess we’ll have to start all over again; we’ll just rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat,” Parkes said after starring in the 2025 showpiece victory over Manypeaks.
Off the books this season are Archer Gordon, Finlay Robertson, Mitch Hathaway and Hennie Botha although there is still a strong core with Parkes and Andre Gabriel in defence and Tim Yap, Charlie Hudson and Mitch Pike further up.
Last year’s player of the season David Wareham, a mid-season pick-up who was an absolute gem, is also still around.
The top tier has just three clubs this season with the association deciding to make up the numbers with a LGSHA representative side training for country week.
The side will be coached by Ashton Mills who is stepping away from his primary duties with Manypeaks to pick a midweek team featuring players from the other A-grade clubs and promising juniors who deserve to make the step up.
Their first outing is on Thursday night, when they take on Manypeaks at the Albany Hockey Stadium.
Mt Barker have dropped out of A-grade after losing players, including young star striker Jethro Wright who is now studying in Narrogin.
LGSHA president Ron Hodgson said players moving away each season was par for the course.
“It is country sport — players reach a certain age and head off to university,” he said.
“Every sport is in the same boat.
“We are happy that we have lots of juniors coming through, and they will be ready for A-grade in the next two or three years.”
North Albany won the women’s premiership for the fifth time in six years when they beat Mt Barker in last year’s grand final.
They start their title defence on Saturday with a repeat of the grand final showdown.
Mt Barker will be looking to classy midfielder Renae Parsons to control proceedings while young star Bella Post is back after representing WA Black in the under-16 nationals in Tasmania.
Parsons, the league’s fairest and best last season, was picked to compete for Australia II in the masters world cup, which takes place in the Netherlands later this year.
Saturday’s other fixture pits Spencer Park against Manypeaks, for whom Olympian Kathryn Slattery will again be the driving force.
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