City have been taken apart in the offseason, so a strengthened Momona could be the team to beat with their impressive youthful defensive contingent including Abby Reid and Eve Swan very tough to get past.
The Kings United Royals won the Toast Cup and will not be far behind with the influential Rachel Lecky in goal, and new Australian recruit Nina Murphy running the midfield.
City, meanwhile, look set to battle it out with the University Huskies for third spot, the Huskies strengthened by the return of Claudia Roberts.
The Taieri Tigers will be in and around the playoff race, but look very young on paper, while few know what to expect from the ever-unpredictable University Stingrays.
The defending champion Taieri Tuataras go in as favourites in the men’s competition.
However, having already lost Jordan Ward, they will lose James Nicolson and Brandon Peck for the postseason, so might be left lacking at both ends of the pitch when it comes to the crunch.
The Albany Alligators have pinched the services of Nic Finlayson, who will combine up front with Nick Parata and Jack Cotton in the competition’s most potent strike line.
Finlayson has been replaced at Kings United by the speedy Josh Caldwell, who showed what he is about with two goals in the Toast Cup final.
The University Whales’ run of making it to the final looks set to come to an end, having lost Benji Culhane, Jakob Bell-Kake and Josh Wypych, among others, during the offseason.
The Southland Barbarians and University Panthers look a long way behind the rest.
By Nicholas Friedlander
