Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Club: Adderley
Captain: Gary Whitehall
Players In: James Lewis, Ade Jennings, Chris Stretch, Tom Killen, Angus Needham.
Players Out: None
Thoughts on top of table: Close between SJB and Castlefields to win it. I can see the top 5 being the same as last year with a gap to the rest.
Dark Horses: Possibly Hanmer to challenge for top 5 if anyone.
Thoughts on bottom of table: Always difficult for the new team, we played them in a Play Off and on the night the game just went our way. Good bunch of lads we wish them well!
Player to watch (own team): Ian Howell, lost a crazy amount of close games last season and with a little more green knowledge will turn some of them into wins.
Player to watch (another team): Keith Wall capable of making a big return to the league on a green that will suit him. Hopefully Owen Evans keeps a regular place at the Bayley, pleasant young lad with huge potential.
Aim for your team: To learn from last season’s mistakes and find ourselves 30 more points and sneak into the top 10. I think this would be good steady progress for our second season.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Make no mistake the Woore team would have no problem with whoever finishes bottom of the league. Their biggest challenge will be winning a league with the added complication of qualifying a Play Off team. They have strong competition in both the Whitchurch and Market Drayton League. A local team to us, a great bunch and we wish them well.
Club: Burway
Captains: Adam Dovey & Ben Allen
Players In: Paul Williams & Nick Lewis
Players Out: Camilla Parsonage not playing anymore
Thoughts on top of table: Be hard to stop Castlefields and SJB.
Dark Horses: St Georges
Thoughts on bottom of table: Be interesting to see how Horsehay get on, don’t know anything about them so will be interesting to see how they do. Interesting to see if Wem have made any changes from last year and to see how they get on.
Player to watch (own team): Rich Lane having a full season would be my one to watch. And having Paul Williams who loves the green will be a massive boost.
Aim for your team: Finish above last year and push for the top half of the table.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Think Craven Arms have a chance!
Club: Bylet
Captain: Cheryl Caswell
Players In: A few.
Players Out: Scott Harries (Bylet), Nick Lewis (Bylet), Taylor & Simon Rhodes (Highley), Gary Cooper.
Aims for Season: To finish 13th.
Thoughts on top of table: Following their success last year and with the players Sir John Bayley have signed, they will take some stopping.
Dark Horses: I don’t think there will be any dark horses as it will be between Sir John Bayley and Castlefields.
Thoughts on bottom of table: It will be really tight between us and Horsehay and will come down to who can do better at home.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: I think Woore will take some stopping in both the Whitchurch and Market Drayton Leagues.
Club: Castlefields
Captain: Steve Peach
Players In: Ash Wellings, Andy Duckett, Steve Duckett, Josh Hale
Players Out: Paul Williams (Burway)
Thoughts on top of table: I think it could be a 4 way tussle this year, ourselves, Bayley, Wrockwardine Wood and St Georges.
Dark Horses: St Georges
Thoughts on bottom of table: Think Horsehay, Bylet and Wem will be fighting it out down there.
Player to watch (own team): Think Hayden Lewis will be better again this year now he’s had a season in the Prem under his belt.
Player to watch (another team): Joe Killen (St Georges)
Aim for your team: To be challenging on all fronts this season.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore
Club: Hanmer
Captain: Ieuan Pugh
Players In: Paul Griffiths, Dave Gourlay, Jeff Cooper, John Paddington, Richard Zolman, Paul Williams, Kian Thomas
Players Out: Andy Armstrong, Joe Langford, Neil Hayes
Thoughts on top of table: SJB have to be strong favourites.
Dark Horses: St Georges.
Thoughts on bottom of table: Horsehay will have a good challenge on their hands with their first season in the prem. Hopefully they have a good season and enjoy the league.
Player to watch (own team): Robin Bennett. He’s a good player who always has a good season for us! Hopefully he can have another one!
Player to watch (another team): Owen Jackson. He’s had a year of playing on the greens so expect him to have a good season.
Aim for your team: We’ve added good experience to our team this year and have added a good level of competition for places. We had a good year last year and hope to maintain that form coming into this year. Our aim is to push on for another top half finish and maintain our good home form.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore will definitely be aiming to get into the prem this year.
Club: Hanwood
Captain: Simon Lane
Players In: Andy Jones, Mark Parsons, Ben Talbot
Players Out: Ash Wellings, Andy Duckett, Phil Lyttle
Thoughts on top of table: Looks like the top two teams from last season have somehow strengthened again so it already looks like it will be a 2 horse race between Castlefields and SJB, with the Bayley just pipping it by a few points.
Aim for your team: After losing some valuable players this season I see it could be a difficult season for us. The aim is for us to pull together, enjoy our Fridays and if we can improve on last season’s points tally then that will be a nice bonus.
Club: Highley
Captain: Stu Gittings
Players In: Simon Rhodes & Jamie Taylor
Players Out: Reece Farr, Connor Bray
Thoughts on top of table: 1. SJB, 2. Castlefields, 3. St Georges
Dark Horses: St Georges
Thoughts on bottom of table: Bottom 3 will be Wem, Horsehay and Bylet.
Player to watch (own team): Jacob Ash
Player to watch (another team): Tom Killen
Aim for your team: To improve on last season.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore should be in the league in 2025, they have a very strong side, one of the strongest outside the Premier League since it was formed. Sinclair may win the Mid Shropshire and Prince of Wales Hotel for the Tanners League, but they will do well to finish above Castlefields’ second team.
Club: Horsehay
Captain: Andy Garbett
Players In: Craig Baugh, Garry Owen, Michael Cooper
Players Out: Chris Grocott
Thoughts on top of table: Could be tight again with Castlefields and SJB
Dark Horses: Hanmer
Thoughts on bottom of table: Depending on any new signings between now and the start of the season I’d say, Wem, Adderley, Bylet and ourselves.
Player to watch (own team): Don’t really want to single out or put any unnecessary pressure on anyone from our team. We all know it’s going to be a tough season.
Player to watch (another team): Tom Killen from Adderley could be one to watch.
Aim for your team: To stay up, surprise a few people, and try to prove the doubters wrong.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore and possibly Sinclair.
Club: Ifton
Captain: Dickie Jones
Players In: Andy Armstrong, Joe Langford, Simon Tyler
Players Out: Keiron Roberts having a season off
Thoughts on top of table: SJB have signed some good players so will take some stopping but I expect Castlefields to run them close.
Dark Horses: St Georges have strengthened well and could go close.
Thoughts on bottom of table: Horsehay and Bylet will be scrapping it out at the bottom.
Aim for your team: We came 5th last season. Same again or higher would be good, also to try and go unbeaten at home.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore will be formidable opponents for the team finishing bottom should they apply for the Play Offs.
Club: Meole Brace
Captain: Nick Davies
Players In: Phil Lyttle, Jen Rogers, Pete Bound
Players Out: Chris Stretch
Thoughts on top of table: SJB
Dark Horses: St Georges
Thoughts on bottom of table: Horsehay
Player to watch (own team): Chris Jones
Player to watch (another team): Chris Stretch
Aim for your team: With more strength in depth looking to finish higher in the league than in 2023 together with a good cup run.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore
Club: Sir John Bayley
Captain: Dave Lloyd, Vice Captain Tom Roden
Players In: Scott Harries, Dan Taylor, Reece Farr, Aaron Tapper
Players Out: Ash Gregory, Josh Hale, Gordon Hawkins, Chris Ward
Thoughts on top of table: Castlefields consistently demonstrates their strength and resilience, ensuring they remain a formidable force at the top of the table season after season. Additionally, Wrockwardine Wood, despite some player losses, continues to display a strong lineup, indicating their ability to maintain competitiveness within the league. St. Georges might be the dark horses and they are undoubtedly a team to watch out for. Along with ourselves, these teams make up the top four contenders in the league in my opinion.
Dark Horses: St Georges
Thoughts on bottom of table: Horsehay may find the step up more challenging than anticipated, as they adjust to the higher level of competition. Similarly, Bylet’s loss of several players may impact their performance, potentially placing them among the teams hovering around the bottom of the table.
Player to watch (own team): All our new signings will be exciting to watch!
Player to watch (another team): Tom Killen should go well in his debut season.
Aim for your team: Our aim is crystal clear: we’re all about continuous improvement and relentless competition every season. Admittedly, this season is shaping up to be a tough one, especially following our stellar performance last year. However, our mindset remains the same – we’re determined to defend our title while enjoying every moment of the journey.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore & Malpas Sports
Club: St Georges
Captain: Josh Bradburn
Players In: Keith Wall, Chris Ward, Gordon Hawkins
Players Out: None
Thoughts on top of table: I think it is hard to look past the SJB as they have strengthened since last season but I think ourselves , Castlefields and Wrockwardine Wood will push them as much as we can and see what happens.
Dark Horses: I think that Adderley will be a stronger team this season with a few new signings and a full season under there belt I think they will definitely have a higher placed finish
Thoughts on bottom of table: None
Player to watch (own team): Keith Wall, I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do this year, he is super keen and such a great player, I really feel he will have a special season
Player to watch (another team): Tom Killen, he’s a young lad who has played a lot of bowls over the winter so is already in full swing. He has already beaten some quality bowlers to qualify for a few competitions early season and I believe he is one to watch going forward
Aim for your team: The aim this year is to push for top 3 and really compete with the big boys of the league. We have strengthened this season and now have a stronger squad not just a good 12 so really believe we can mix it with anyone.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: I think the obvious one would be Woore as they have a lot of previous premier league players so I imagine they win be very strong in that league
Club: Wem USC
Captain: Andy Marhsall
Players In: Darren Fitzpatrick, James Weaver
Players Out: None
Dark Horses: St Georges
Player to watch (own team): Darren Fitzpatrick
Player to watch (another team): Tom Killen
Aim for your team: 12th or higher
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore
Club: Wrockwardine Wood
Captain: Rob Jones
Players In: Chris Grocott, Dan Bodley
Players Out: Dan Taylor, Andy Jones
Thoughts on top of table: Bayley have to win, given the side they have assembled.
Thoughts on bottom of table: Can’t see past Horsehay. Strange that a team that hasn’t won their respective league title has been admitted to the league, I don’t see how this adds strength or depth.
Aim for your team: Be competitive and see where that takes us.
Thoughts on the Play Offs: Woore and maybe Hadley USC.