As always it is difficult to make any sound predictions at the start of each indoor season – outdoor Premiership form is far from an indicator.
A lot depends on which players turn out for the indoor squad…and even then the line-up can vary substantially from week to week. Further, the size of the squad has varied from team to team – some using all or close to twelve while others bring along the bare six with no substitution options.
That is how it has been in recent seasons…and will that trend continue?
Last season saw the Gala Day Final played out between Inverleith and Western Wildcats – so they must be pre-tournament challengers again…on paper.
In fact, since the demise of Midland dominance of the event in previous decades, particularly Grove Menzieshill, recent indoor titles have been shared between Western and Inverleith.
Inverleith first won the crown in 2011 and last season was their seventh when they beat Wildcats on penalties after a 4-4 draw in normal time. It was as close as that. Charlie Jack was Inverleith`s talisman scoring all four goals and also converting his shoot-out attempt. Jamie Golden scored twice for the Wildcats along with Fraser Moran and Andrew McConnell.
And the two sides meet head to head on Saturday in their second outing of the day. Both coaches, Inverleith`s Stuart Neave and Wildcats` Vishal Marwaha, will tell you that this early confrontation will not determine the final outcome of the championship – but not unnaturally both will want to win nonetheless.
On the coming season Inverleith`s Stuart Neave had this to say. “We are looking forward to the season and the various challenges it will provide. I think the end of last season showed that several teams are capable of winning important games on their day. So we will need to be at our best if we want to be at the Gala Day final.”
Vishal Marwaha is again Wildcats` coach for the indoor season, and his message seems to be fairly clear. “Our goal is to win the title but we know how difficult that is and the challenge ahead of us.” As most of their outdoor players tend to play indoors also, there is no doubting that Wildcats have the firepower to regain the indoor championship.
In the league format last season Wildcats gave Inverleith a nine goal mauling – certainly not what the pundits were predicting – while the second match ended in a 6-6 draw. So let`s see what Saturday brings.
Both sides will try and brush aside any rustiness with an earlier fixture, Inverleith take on Uddingston while Wildcats may have a more strenuous test against Watsonians.
So are there any other runners and riders in pursuit of the title?
Well, you certainly cannot discount Grove Menzieshill, once the doyen of the indoor game a few decades ago, but these halcyon days are sadly in the past. The Taysiders last won the Gala Day final back in 2017, they have pressed ever since but with no success.
Last season the Dundonians came within a whisker of reaching the final, on the penultimate day they beat Wildcats, Inverleith and Watsonians, but frustratingly it was not enough and they were crowded out on goal difference. It would not take much to see them in the final this season. And six points against Grange and Clydesdale on the opening day would be an encouraging start.
And then there`s Dundee Wanderers, four times winner of the championship, and while they have had the odd impressive result there has not really been a sustained challenge. Ironically Wanderers open against the same opposition as rivals Menzieshill.
Watsonians could be another potential challenger given their recent success in the Premiership, but a lot here will depend on how many of these players take to the indoor boards. Last season they did make the top four but their ultimate challenge fizzled out. The Edinburgh side will have to hit the ground running if they are to make that challenge as they have Wildcats as their first opposition, and that followed by Uddingston.
So what of the other contenders – Grange, Clydesdale and Uddingston – form over the last few campaigns would suggest they might struggle to make a serious impact on the title…but then again, who knows?
