We've finally hit the half-way point of the Western Premier League season and it has been a wild one so far.
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To commemorate us making it through nine rounds of action, we decided we would take a look back on a story that had everyone talking. That's right, we're going to poke and prod at our pre-season ladder prediction piece.
Like any opinion piece, there's going to be ups and downs.
Let's go through all of the teams at the halfway point of the title race, and grade our picks for every club.
MACQUARIE UNITED
PREDICTED: Sixth.
CURRENT: Fifth
PREDICTION GRADE: B+
This was a big call early in the year to say that last year's minor premiers would miss out on the finals completely...but so far that middle of the pack prediction has looked pretty good.
United were always going to have a slow start to the year, with injuries to Cameron Kopp, Aeedan Todhunter, Connor Crain and Isaac Skinner all looming large.
But after two wins in the first three weeks, it was looking likely United would have the last laugh. But some average form since then has seen them solidify themselves as anything but a title favourite.
They have only secured points against the bottom three sides if you exclude their week one victory over the Dubbo Bulls (which in hindsight looks like the upset of the year).
Coach Paul Craine said before the season that the goal was to scrape into the finals and so far that looks like their only option.
WARATAHS FC
PREDICTED: Second
CURRENT: First
PREDICTION GRADE: B
Another prediction that is looking pretty good at the mid-way point.
Adam Scimone has his side humming and are undefeated so far, with some decisive victories over Macquarie (8-5) and Orana (3-1) to their name.
Their attacking strength looks by far the best in the league, and if not for a calamitous error by keeper Adam Brackenridge over the weekend, their lead at the top may have been insurmountable heading into the back half of the season.
But undefeated is undefeated and 'Tahs have all but assured they will be playing in the finals this year.
A heavily favoured away run to end their campaign will no doubt prove a little tough, but they've given themselves enough of a head start that as long as they keep feasting on the bottom-feeders, they should be in line for a top two finish.
BARNSTONEWORTH UNITED
PREDICTED: Seventh
CURRENT: Fourth
PREDICTION GRADE: D+
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to those I have wronged in the Barnies community, for my pre-season prediction is looking worse and worse by the day.
A sluggish start to the year saw the boys in red and white take just one point from their first three games. But hindsight is 20/20 and we should have known better than to count them out based on results against what would prove to be the comp's top three sides.
Captain/coach Josh Ward was adamant that his new system on the field would yield results and boy has it ever.
They have battered both Panorama (5-0) and Mudgee (7-0) in recent weeks and if not for that slow start to the year, could have been in serious contention for a top two finish.
But it's not how you start, it's how you finish and if Barnies can keep up the good form they will well and truly be a team to watch come finals time.
PARKES COBRAS
PREDICTED: Third
CURRENT: Sixth
PREDICTION GRADE: D
There is always one side a season that plays down to its opposition and in 2021 that appears to be the Cobras.
I had high hopes for the purple and black coming into the year, but those hopes have been well and truly dashed.
Parkes have shown they have the ability to get wins on the board, like they did against Macquarie in round 6 (3-2), but are just as likely to draw games to the likes of Lithgow (2-2 in round 2) to offset that good work.
While they are certainly still in contention to reach the finals, I see zero way they can compete for the crown this year like I predicted.
Coming off a last place finish the season prior, the year so far is still a massive improvement. Maybe I was a little eager to crown a new contender and instead they will be a true threat in 2022...but that doesn't save me from eating crow on my top three prediction.
ORANA SPURS
PREDICTED: Eighth
CURRENT: Third
PREDICTION GRADE: F
The only solace I can take from this awful prediction is that I doubt even Spurs saw this coming.
Poised to be a rebuilding season for the Dubbo squad, they have exceeded everyone's expectations and thrown a spanner in the works.
The reason for such a swift turnaround can largely be credited to Duncan Cahill. After six rounds of action, the midfielder found himself second in the overall player of the year standings and hasn't slowed down since then.
Whether they can keep up this magical run and stave off the red-hot Barnies side will be an interesting wrinkle to the second half of the year...but I've counted Spurs out once before and it didn't go so well, so instead of thinking they'll fight to keep their spot on third, why not believe they can push for the minor premiership.
PANORAMA FC
PREDICTED: Fifth
CURRENT: Seventh
PREDICTION GRADE: C-
Flying the flag for Bathurst has proved a tough task for the Goats so far. After a 3-0 win over Lithgow in round one, Panorama have have managed to gain just two points from their next seven matches.
The player turnover has hit them harder than could have been expected and although they still have fifth place in their sights, you would be a brave person to say that's where they will end up.
A leaky defence can only get you so far, and at this point the tap has been running for four weeks.
Jaiden Culbert has been a bright spark, but it takes more than one player to turn things around.
Can the Goats prove me right and come up with a late-season charge? I am doubtful. But in a competition that has three clear tiers, anything is possible.
LITHGOW WORKIES
PREDICTED: Ninth
CURRENT: Eighth
PREDICTION GRADE: B+
As confident as I was that Waratahs would have a season to remember, I was that Workies would have one to forget.
Their pre-season was a bit of a shambles and have just the lone win to their name against an equally struggling Mudgee (nothing to write home about).
When I said there were three clear tiers, Workies have well and truly found themselves in the bottom one.
I still believe they will finish last this season and expect the rest of the competition's strikers to be licking their lips when they see Workies on the schedule.
MUDGEE GULGONG WOLVES
PREDICTED: Fourth
CURRENT: Ninth
PREDICTION GRADE: D-
I should have known better than to pick two newcomers to both make the finals this year.
Mudgee had a bit of hype and a lot of flash prior to the season, but those fireworks turned out to be sparklers as it took them until round 9 to grab their first points and win of the year.
In the games I've watched, Joel Albrecht has played as an out and out target man up front for the Wolves. But apart from sending it long and hoping for the best, there's not been a whole lot of other ideas on how to score goals.
Some growing pains were to be expected from what was essentially a new-look team, but I had high hopes for the squad and I have been let down.
Can they mathematically still finish in fourth? Sure. Will they? Not a chance.
DUBBO BULLS
PREDICTED: First
CURRENT: Second
PREDICTION GRADE: B+
The Bulls are who we thought they were.
Coming into the year, every captain, coach and their mothers were picking the Dubbo side as the team to beat coming off their grand final victory last season.
They suffered a round 1 shock loss to Macquarie but since then have been undefeated and near perfect.
As well as battling it out for the minor premierships with Spurs and Waratahs, Kane Settree is also the odds on favourite to claim the WPL's Player of the Year award.
I picked them to be minor premiers this season and they have looked every bit as good as a team with title hopes on their mind.
They will have to hope Waratahs slip up down the stretch, but it will make for a thrilling end to the WPL regular season.
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