Athletic Marist
Coaches: Wayne Kinzett and Mark Watson.
Athletic Marist should field a powerful forward pack with Palenapa Mafi, Jason Greaney and Maka Lea returning to the fold. No 8 Tevita Fifita is preparing for another season after an Achilles injury. Add to that veteran lock Aisake Fonua, Willie Tahitua, Jo Fifita, Ian Cooney and Dylan Winter.
The club welcomes back first five Ed Keohane, who last played in 2010 and has been with the London Irish Academy team in England. Winger Adam Halkett has returned from Australia, while midfielder Kasanova Saone will be the key to the backline.
Excelsior
Coach: Jason Forrest.
Tyrone Davies and Kaitu Kaufana are both in Dunedin, veteran halfback Ray Gutsell has retired and key midfielder Billy Guyton is in Tasman. Dan Sinnamon has departed to Australia, Finlay Robson has headed to Dunedin, Jamie Rhodes is out with a thumb injury and Fikita Teu is taking a season off. Joe Mamea has returned to Spain and prop Karl Cunningham is unavailable.
Lock Jason Millns is out for 3-4 weeks with an elbow injury, but the Shields brothers, Thomas (prop) and Isaac (lock), will be ready. Shale Baldwin is a possibility at six or seven, and Ryan Duff and Pita Sinamoni are additions to the forward pack. Two Welsh players will join the club, with speedster Ryan Lee in the back three and Daniel Jones at first or second five.
Old Boys
Coaches: Kilifi Fangupo and Tai Halelele.
After being an almost permanent fixture in North Otago rugby, prop Atalea Katoa has retired. He played 58 games for North Otago and played for the Kurow, Maheno and Old Boys clubs.
Midfield back Adam Barnard has remained in England, winger Steven Kiki has moved to Lawrence, winger Ofa Fatafehi has retired, halfback Tala Fagaosia has returned to Samoa, Finn Bloxsom is in China and Sam Spivey has shifted to Christchurch.
Newcomers are Ashley Miller (St Kevin's), James Pillay (Waitaki Boys') and Joel McErlane, formerly of Kurow. Lemi Masoe, Sale Pi'i, Hamish McCulloch and Jeremiah Shields are all back.
Kurow
Coaches: Richard Pledger and Regan Laughton.
Kurow is back from a two-game tour of Northern New South Wales. The first was a double-header. Kurow played 40 minutes against Gunnedah, drawing 7-7, and a half against Dubbo, winning 14-0.
In the other game, Kurow was beaten 20-15 by Moree. Kurow will be without first five Willy Tree, but his place has been taken by former Geraldine player Willie Hand. Other losses are Fred Manthe, who has returned to South Africa, and English prop Elliott Booley.
Midfielder Levi Fogarty and speedy winger Dean Fenwick have joined from Waitaki Boys'. Wally Milne, Marshall Smith and John Mathias will be in the pack. The side will probably be captained by flanker Carl Taiarua.
Valley
Coaches: Nathan Cunningham and Barry Fox.
Prop Daniel Groundwater, first five Walker Jacobs, flanker BJ Oliver and winger Leo Tupou are all missing from last season. Newcomers include front-rowers Hamish Wade, who played with Eric Duff at Lincoln, Blair Liddington (Palmerston North) and Cameron Schultz, who missed last season after a shoulder operation. Cameron Mitchell, Brad McKenzie, Mark Gold, Tom Squire and Phil Wilson are other new faces.
The forwards look a strong unit with Duff, Brad Morton, Scott Rowland, Rob Mafileo, Bruce Newlands, Blair Malcolm, Sean Conlan, Cameron Rowland and possibly Josh Collier.
Rowan McKenzie, Jason Mavor, Mark Roney, Hamish McKenzie, Nick Webster and Daniel Keno will be the basis of the backline, with Craig Kingan moving on to refereeing.
Maheno
Player-coach: Ross Hay.
Maheno beat Green Island 20-17 in a pre-season game. The side has been bolstered by the arrival of three overseas players, all backs: Emerson Sergile and Justin Turner, from Florida, and Daniel Jones, from Wales. Others contesting places in the backline are Leo Mills, Michael Hore Ricky Chellew, Nathan Lock, Kyle Beck, Rodney Bungard and James Symes.
The forward pack will be led by Ross Hay, backed up by Brenton Scott, Andrew Fisher, Hayden Tisdall, Simon Thorpe and Isaac Webster, while the front row will be Johnny Rusbatch, Kevin Burns and Paddy Bland.
