The 2002 Winter Season is almost upon us, and it looks like Balmain Rovers will have three teams this year. The calendar of key dates looks like this:

Wednesday 6 March - Training Field Allocation for Balmain & District SC teams
Saturday 9 March - Pre-season Friendly for Firsts team @ Wentworth Park
Wednesday/Thursday 13/14 March - Midweek evening training starts
Friday 15 March - Team Allocation Forms to be lodged with Balmain & District SC - minimum 9 players per team to be listed
Saturday 16 March - Registration Day for Balmain Rovers @ Annandale Hotel
Sunday 17 March - Pre-season Friendlies for Firsts & Reserves @ Blakehurst
Saturday 6 April - 2002 Competition starts - all players to be paid up

At this point, it's worth listing the players who confirmed their intentions of playing for Balmain Rovers this season:

Nick Agafanoff Kelly Baigent Mark Bamford John Barker Craig Brown Adam Brzozowski Matt Clementson Sohail Dahdal Pier D'Angelo Phil Davis Steve Daw Jon Drea Paul Edwards Andy Farmery

Sergio Fiorenza Adam Freeman Alister Haining Phil Harvey Martin Hofmann Nik Hopkins Emrys Hughes Ben Jones Rob Liney Matt Linton Richard Lyne Ammon Mackie James Mackie Jeremy Mahimarajan

Paul McDonnell Paul Millard Donny Nichols Joey Nicotra Ricky Onsman John Pereira Michael Sommers Darren Taylor Sam Tekin Kon Tsalikis David Wright Brian Yeung

If your name is not on this list and you think it should be, fire off an indignant email to and demand your immediate inclusion.

For those who didn't already know, please note that registration costs $176 this year (or $132 for students), which covers your insurance, your membership of Balmain & District SC and fees to the Canterbury Association. Your team shirt is supplied, as are training balls, cones and venue. You supply your own shorts (black), socks (black), shinpads (compulsory) and boots (moulded or screw-in studs).

Further details will be made available once you have registered, which requires the provision of two passport-sized photos, a photocopy of a photo ID (driver's livence, passport), a photocopy of your student ID if you are paying the student rate and a completed and signed Registration Form and Player ID card. The latter two ietms will be provide at the Player Registration Day or by arrangement with Ricky.

Do check out the website every now and then, not least to examine new additions to the photo gallery. Don't forget to drop by our sponsors the Annandale Hotel, with whom we will have some special events this year - World Cup on the big screen, anyone? We'll also have a "Who the hell are you?" session at the Anno to kick the year off (partners, friends & family welcome) and you'll be provided with team contact lists.

Oh, and we're going to make a section of the website available to the many IT workers in Balmain Rovers. Could this be the start of Balmain Rovers Inc?

If you want any further info on any of the above, contact Ricky or by phone on 9319 6622 (Wed-Fri 9am-5pm), 9660 5327 (Sat-Tue 8am-9pm) or mobile 0408 210 127 (any day 8am-9pm).