If the past two years have taught us anything - it's that there are no certainties in life, let alone cricket.
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So if the weather allows it, cricket returns on Saturday and City United start as title favourites with the return of star duo Josh Trappel and Tim Burton to last year's beaten grand finalists.
Defending champions Western Suburbs will go into 2022-23 without leading all-rounder Michael Rees and with limited access to Tom Irwin, Aaron Mahony and Shaun Hill.
Stability in their line-up was the key to Wests' minor-major premiership double last year.
The Plovers have the bowling attack to again finish top two but will need a lift from their batting line-up when Irwin, Mahony and Hill are not available.
Thornton have managed to keep their 2021-22 line-up largely intact. They are now regular finalists and have a side which can win a premiership if, and it's a big if, they can overcome their bogey side City United.
City beat them in both regular season matches last season to finish second, five points above them on the ladder. A washed out semi between second and third meant City progressed to the grand final.
Kurri Weston Mulbring have missed out on securing Mulbring's best two players, Drew Olsen and Cameron Ross, in the merger with the Cessnock comp powerhouse.
But they have regained star all-rounder Steve Abel full time and with Scott Robertson, Mick Mascord and Zach Sneesby joining from Mulbring, they should be in the running for finals.
Eastern Suburbs, Raymond Terrace, Tenambit Morpeth and Northern Suburbs can stake a claim for finals but need to be more consistently at their best, which can be hard with young teams.
CITY UNITED
Last year: Second
Losses: Cam Wynn, Nick Bower
Gains: Josh Trappel, Tim Burton
The addition of star batsman Josh Trappel (60.5 average and three 100s) and paceman Tim Burton (29 wickets) lifts City United to the mantle of title favourites.
City skipper Matt Trappel is in now doubt the team is stronger than last year and can win the title.
Nick Bower, a key member of the team, is a big loss, but City have a couple of options in Ryan Merrick or Andrew Vickery taking his spinning role.
Cam Wynn is another big loss, but City are uniquely placed with young quicks coming through. Roy Bocking is expected to open the bowling with Tim Baker in the early matches.
When you can move opener Andrew Vickery down to seven to accommodate Sam Jordan's move to five then you know the batting is sound.
Prediction: First
EASTERN SUBURBS
Last season: Seventh
Gains: Nil
Losses: Trent Park, Harry Scullin and Tom Thorpe
The saying "on their day they can beat anyone" could well have been coined for Eastern Suburbs and once again they are the hardest team to predict where they will finish on the ladder.
But without Trent Park, who is living in England, it is hard to see them challenging for a finals spot.
Easts are blessed with some of the most talented young players in the competition, but they have not delivered consistently enough as a group to turn close contests into wins.
Jack Bennett will still be playing but has handed the captaincy to Riley Horrocks who is having his first tilt as skipper.
Horrocks is expecting Joe Hancock, Tom Porter and Jet Lee to again play key roles and for a number of players to step up over the season from the successful second grade team including Will Stoneman, Tom Lovegrove, Toby Warner and James Killen.
Prediction: Fifth
KURRI WESTON MULBRING
Last season: Fourth
Gains: Steve Abel, Scott Robinson, Mick Mascord and Zach Sneesby
Losses: Ben Crebert, Tallon Gear, Liam Dalibozek
With captain Sam Dalibozek in career-best form, Kurri Weston earned their spot in the top four last season with or without a contentious six points handed to them when Easts beat them but Trent Park was found to be ineligible to play.
Dalibozek with his bowling and batting was quite often the difference between winning and losing for a side which lacked depth.
The Warriors' original match-winning all-rounder Steve Abel is back full-time this season and for that reason alone you have to pencil them into the top four.
With the added depth and experience of Mulbring premiership players such as Scott Robinson, Mick Mascord and Zach Sneesby the Warriors will be able to cover the losses of Tallon Gear, Ben Crebert and Liam Dalibozek who is recovering from ACL surgery on his knee injured while playing rugby union.
Prediction: Fourth
NORTHERN SUBURBS
Last season: Sixth
Gains: David Hancock and Geoffrey Keppie Watson
Losses: Lincoln Mills, Cal Gabriel and Matthew Holwell
How do you go about replacing star all-rounders Lincoln Mills and Cal Gabriel?
You don't unless you are able to poach the two best players from one or two your rivals.
That's the dilemma facing new skipper Jordan Callinan and the solution as it has so often been will be to go to their youth and develop from within.
It will probably take than more than one season, but Norths have already started the process with Callinan overseeing a development squad with 15 and 16 year olds working with the first grade team.
Norths' batting will be steady if not the spectacular provided by Mills and Gabriel and the bowling is at least one bowler short, probably two.
But any team that doesn't give Norths the utmost respect will pay as there's still plenty of fight and pride at Lorn Park.
Prediction: Eighth
RAYMOND TERRACE
Last season: Fifth
Gains: Cam Bates and Liam McMahon
Losses: Daniel Flynn, Brayden Brooks and Lachie Page
Raymond Terrace welcome back Cam Bates but whether the 2017/18 premiership player will be enough to offset the loss of talented youngsters Brayden Brooks and Lachlan Page and the reliable Daniel Flynn will determine whether Raymond Terrace can step up into the top four.
The Lions finished fifth last season and with the natural progression of their youth were likely finals contenders, but Brooks who was a stand-out and representative level and Page were two of the key players who would have provided that natural progression.
Nick Savage and Joey Collins are both playing second grade this season and opener Shannon Bills, who has had knee surgery, will not be available until after Christmas.
Skipper Daniel Upward, who can turn a game with his batting and will bowl more, is confident that teenagers like Tommy Callan and 16-year-old all-rounder Jaxon Brooks will step up with increased opportunities.
Prediction: Sixth
TENAMBIT MORPETH
Last season: Eighth
Gains: Cameron Wynn, Daniel Collinson and Hayden Adams
Losses: David Hancock, Liam McMahon
This is the year Tenambit Morpeth will take their first step off the bottom of the ladder since their return to Maitland first grade cricket in 2019-20.
They have kept the majority of their team and importantly their talented youngsters have another year of cricket under their belt.
The addition of opener Hayden Adams, who returns to cricket after a few years' break, and Dan Collinson who is back from Tamworth and will slot in at No.3 is starting to address the Bulls' Achilles heel their batting.
Expect a lot more runs from Ryan Wind this season, with skipper Adam Sidoti asking him to concentrate more on his batting.
Paceman Cameron Wynn is a huge inclusion and he will open the bowling with Al Lidbury. Sid Searle is back full time to bowl first change with the tireless Shane Wind and spinner Lachlan Heit who took big steps last year is expected to improve again.
Prediction: Seventh
THORNTON
Last season: Third
Gains: Nil
Losses: Nil
You know confidence is high when the skipper of a side is hoping that his rivals remain competitive.
Thornton have kept their squad intact and are primed for another shot at an elusive premiership.
"We've spoken about it and we would hate to win and have other teams drop off. You want to play and beat the best," Thornton captain Matt Gabriel said.
Young paceman Nic Bourke has picked up a couple of yards in pace and 16-year-old batter Riley Petrie is a future captain in the making.
The only thing standing in between Thornton and the title is the huge presence of their bogey side and premiership favourites City United.
Thornton must overcome their City hoodoo to be premiers.
Prediction: Second
WESTERN SUBURBS
Last season: First (minor and major premiers)
Gains: Nil
Losses: Michael Rees, Geoffrey Keppie Watson
Western Suburbs had an air of almost invincibility about them in 2021-22, but the loss of star all-rounder Michael Rees for the coming season has suddenly made them look beatable.
When you add limited games by leading batters Aaron Mahony, Tom Irwin and Shaun Hill and the premiership defence looks more difficult.
Wests' bowling attack is still first class, but the batting needs to stand up in the absence of Mahony, Irwin and Hill to ensure they make finals. If Wests make the top four and Mahony, Irwin and Hill are available then the premiership defence can be a reality.
Prediction: Third
