EXCELSIOR
The back-to-back defending champions are out to complete a hat-trick of titles.
Excelsior are hoping to be the first team to threepeat since Old Boys won five titles in a row from 2011-2015.
‘‘We know we’ve had got some hard work in front of us,’’ head coach Jason Forrest said.
‘‘It’s hard enough to win one, even harder to win two and even harder to win three.’’
They have some ‘‘experienced guys back and some new additions to the team’’ this season.
Captain Mat Duff will lead the forward pack alongside fellow loose forward Oli Knopp.
Tyron Davies and Josh Phipps will drive the team round the park as part of a sharp 9-10 combination while winger Seva Druma is also returning after a man-of-the-match performance in the final last year.
Excelsior suffered a handful of injuries in their final preseason match which could hamper them in the early parts of the season and they will be without electric midfielder Matia Qiolevu this year after he moved out of the area.
VALLEY
Back-to-back runner up finishes for Valley will have the men from Weston hungry to return to the winner’s circle in 2026.
The biggest change for them this year has come in the coaching ranks.
Barry Matthews has moved into a more technical role and John Clunie has also taken a step back.
Logan Dunlop has taken on the role of head coach and will be assisted by Jake Matthews for the first half of the season while the halfback recovers from shoulder surgery.
Dunlop first moved into coaching after a knee injury ruled him out of the 2023 season.
‘‘I’ve been pretty lucky with Barry, just learning off him for last two or three years and been involved with the Heartland and Turbines set up the last two or three years.
‘‘We’re just looking forward to hooking into it.’’
The squad remains much the same as a season ago with Cameron Rowland captaining the side again with Anthony Docherty and Ben Paton as vices.
Dunlop was also excited to see new outside back Joji Rinakama take to the field.
OLD BOYS
After finishing third in 2025, Old Boys are hoping to be in the mix for the title this season.
Returning players such as halfback Tini Feke, prop Kelepi Funaki, pivot Inoke Fisilau and first five Mason James make up a formidable squad.
Defence was their calling card in 2025 and could be a real strength again this year.
Old Boys have not won the Citizens Shield since 2017.
ATHLETIC MARIST
It has been 16 years since Athletic Marist last lifted the Citizens Shield and with a settled squad, could 2026 be their year?
‘‘We’ve kept a real good core of our players,’’ head coach Tim Anderson said.
Captain Savenaca Rabaka is back to lead the team and will be joined in the forwards by Paea Fifita, Lisivani Tuifua and Epineri Logavatu.
In the backline, Posiano Kamoto will line up in the midfield after earning selection for North Otago a year ago.
Last year’s assistant coach Tyler Burgess has also traded the clipboard for the boots and will suit up for Athies in the latter half of the season.
With so much returning talent, Anderson was hopeful of improving on their last seasons, in which they made the playoffs but fell short of reaching the big dance.
‘‘We’ve missed out the last couple of years on getting the those last couple of stages.
‘‘Hopefully, we go the whole hog this year but we’ll just go week by week to start and take it from there.’’
MAHENO
Maheno are building momentum as they look to make a run for the Citizens Shield this season.
Head coach Marty McAtamney returns alongside former North Otago player Robbie Smith as his assistant.
The team has enjoyed a successful preseason campaign so far, McAtamney said.
‘‘Our numbers are good, we’re getting good numbers to training which we haven’t had for years.’’
They beat Dunedin-based side Pirates 45-10 in their lone preseason fixture earlier this month.
The squad remains similar from last year but they have been bolstered by the arrival of Heartland utility back Ben McCarthy who will be available for the entire season.
He joins fellow North Otago representatives Hayden Tisdall and Lachie Kingan.
Lock Harry Dennison and front rower Toby Growcott round out the forward pack while Bryden Skinner and Jake Day add some punch in the backline.
McAtamney hoped the green machine could return to finals footy this year.
‘‘To make the top four would be our first goal and then you deal with the rest after that.’’
KUROW
Kurow are hoping a change at the top could turn around their fortunes.
Steve Herbst steps into the top job at the club after being an assistant coach a season ago.
He will be assisted by Jason Frew and Andrew Harding.
Herbst admitted 2025 was not the year the Red Devils wanted, as they only won one match but was eager to rectify that in 2026.
‘‘We didn’t have a good year last year but what we’re trying to do is we want as [good] as possible.
‘‘We’ll take it one game at a time.’’
He said they have the squad to do it as the team was ‘‘shaping up very good’’.
‘‘We’ve got a good mixture of some old boys that have come back for another year and some new fellas.’’
Veteran outside back Dean Fenwick will form a threeheaded leadership group with front rowers Cameron Keech and Taane Hubbard.
Heartland standout loose forward Mitch Morton will don the scarlet red for his second season with the club as well.
