While the season has been in progress for barely eight weeks, plenty has happened in the Geelong domestic competition and we are set up – in all grades – for a titanic struggle after the Queen’s Birthday break.

Most pundits tipped an even A GRADE competition, with serious improvement expected from the Werribee and Deakin clubs. The Giants took great strides – early days – but have come back to the field somewhat to be sitting fifth, a win from fourth placing. With its surplus of young, developing players, Deakin was always going to be a “work in progress”, although the side’s two and a half wins are not a fair indication of their potential even at this stage.

With Bacchus Marsh losing a number of key players, it was always going to be a battle at the top level and to provide any serious depth in the lower grades. However, the Tigers have toiled away manfully and recently posted their first club win for the season – in A Grade. May there be more success as the season unfolds for a club – let us not forget – that won a flag in 2003 and came home like a train to be pipped by a run in the 2007 Grand Final.

The Tigers’ first win was at the expense of Bellarine, who themselves have enjoyed limited playing success with a win and a draw. But they always seem to pose danger for other clubs – often when least expected. They may well have a say in the shaping of the final four.

The current top four will not have surprised anyone with their successes to date and the smart money would be surely be on the same clubs qualifying for play-off action – although not necessarily in the current order.

At eight and two, the Brewers have performed especially well without Ross Hipke and with Nathan McKenzie missing in recent weeks. Manager Paul Gladman and Assistant Peter Jacobsson are experienced baseball men and hard taskmasters who have inculcated a strong work ethic into the Brewers club, which has developed an unanticipated depth this season and could - in hindsight - have fielded four senior teams.

Home-grown products with a fine balance of youth and the experienced heads of Dean Jones, Troy Snarey and Jason Landthaler, Guild Lions have beaten all of the leading group at least once already this season. 2009 may well be the year that Darc and the boys cash in for their hard work over the past few years. However, they will be without two .400 hitters in Ben Jensz (unavailable for four weeks) and Ryan Darcy (not back until Grand Final week).

Reigning premier East Belmont Saints has two of the most accomplished throwers in the competition in Dean Barker and Brad Egan – the latter a hero of last year’s Grand Final. It remains to be seen if they have the offensive depth to be able to score enough runs against the stronger sides. But this comment was made last year and, as the adage goes, good pitching will beat good hitting.

Falling just one run short of making it four A Grade flags on the trot, Lara Wildcats had their doubters pre-season. While they have lost a few players from their halcyon days, they still boast a nucleus of top-class performers led by the peerless Cameron Forbes and terrific hitters in Ross Wilson and Ben Hammer. With Nathan Holmes expected back later in the season and with their lower order hitters becoming more productive, the Wildcats will continue to build towards another serious tilt at this year’s flag.

While there is some dominance already being exerted in the lower grades, all are wide open and can produce surprises after the resumption.

Lara remains undefeated in A RESERVE – with some huge wins and a miserly fourteen runs against in six games. Deakin has shown some decent form, Guild, Saints and Werribee are locked on three wins each, while the Brewers seem better on paper than their seventh placing suggests. Bacchus Marsh appears the only side out of serious contention.

Mounties has scored freely and remains unbeaten in B GRADE. Colac, Corio and Guild are eminently dangerous, we all know what the proud Saints club can be capable of, while Deakin and Werribee are only a couple of wins away from the leading group.

There is great interest in B RESERVE, with Corio and Guild undefeated (although Guild has had a draw). They appear to be the quality outfits, although Mounties and Colac are well amongst the action. Werribee and Deakin have just one win each, while Saints are struggling for playing success.

Not the case in C GRADE, where Saints Vets have posted a number of crushing wins for an undefeated record to date. Guild has had a draw, but is undefeated also, Brewers can beat anyone on their day – with a full team – while Lara has some experienced campaigners. Bellarine has picked up a single win, while Bacchus Marsh has battled thus far.

A Grade will play its last round of double-headers this weekend. Doubles are a tough ask for any club in winter baseball, but have surely added another dimension to the GBA competition with more games being played and more opportunities being provided for emerging young players.

Happy travelling to all clubs as we enter the next phase of the season.

Draw.   Ladders.   Home.