KEY ARRIVALS: Ben Gaynor, Reece Maguire, Danyan Evans, Jacob Chant, Nathan Jones

KEY DEPARTURES: Toby Conroy, Neil Irwin, Ben Curley, Luke Potter, Jayden Lehmann, Sean Wilkinson, Liam Greenwell, Sam Cooper

2017 FINISH: Premiers

The drought-breaking premiership win sparked a mini-exodus of players over the off-season as the club finally made it to the top of the Riverina League mountain.

The Crows will take a new look into the new season with the departure of the club’s Canberra connection, plus the retirement of Ben Curley, set to leave a gaping hole.

If there is reason to worry, no one told the Crows. Premiership-winning coach Jade Hodge maintains huge belief that his team will again be around the mark.

They still have gun midfielder Bryce O’Garey and match-winning forward Daniel Muir but the club believes the excitement lies within their youth.

It’s hard to imagine a team with so many premiership players dropping too far in 2018, but at the same time expecting the club’s next generation to fill the holes of those departed is a big ask.

Back-to-back appears unlikely but they won’t be far away.

2018 PREDICTION: Sixth

After a close defeat in last year's decider, the Demons look well positioned to return to the top of the Riverina League.

KEY ARRIVALS: Ben Klemke, Dusty Rogers, Tim Beckmans, Tom Byrnes, Joe Byrnes, Dereck Singe

KEY DEPARTURES: Steve Jolliffe, James Morris, Matt Beckmans, Will Haines, Chris Jackson, Mick Anderson, Justin Simmons

2017 FINISH: Runners up

They weren’t far away last year, and Collingullie-Glenfield Park have fared best over the off-season out of all of last season’s contenders.

Luke Gestier goes into his second year as senior coach, knowing a lot more about the competition but under a little bit more pressure given the Demons are widely regarded as the team to beat.

The Demons have lost some class with Steve Jolliffe and Matt Beckmans moving on, while they aren’t as well stocked for key position players with no Jimmy Morris, Chris Jackson and Will Haines.

Collingullie will look to new recruit Ben Klemke to help there, along with Dusty Rogers, while Tim Beckmans should prove a valuable in to a squad that already boasts Jayden Klemke, Marc Geppert, Tom Keogh, the Kennedy brothers, Gestier and some promising youngsters.

As it stands, the Demons are a lock to be there grand final day.

What happens from there, is up to them.

2018 PREDICTION: Premiers

It has been an eerily quiet off-season at Exies Oval. Griffith made great leaps last season and perhaps a similar squad will be good enough to go all the way.

KEY RETURNS: Alex Blissett, James Taylor, Theo Valeri, John Evans

KEY DEPARTURES: Brent Arho, Jacob Conlan, Ash Verhagen, Jacob Barrington, Tyler Bruns, Casey Moore

2017 FINISH: Third

After storming into a preliminary final last year, it has been very quiet at Griffith since.

Will Griggs stepped into the senior coach position for the departing Adrian Pavese, and the Swans have gone about their pre-season with a minimum of fuss.

The Swans were unable to land any blows on the recruitment front, with the only fresh faces being a few players returning to the field after time away.

They decided not to continue their association with full-forward Brent Arho, while key position players Jacob Barrington and Ash Verhagen have also moved on.

The Swans will still boast one of the best midfields in the competition with the likes of Griggs, Ben King, Guy Orton, Mick Duncan and Heath Northey there.

They also have some of the best young talent in the competition in Lucas Conlan and Jack Rowston.

The only query is a lack of height in their key position stocks.

2018 PREDICTION: Fourth

MCUE is another club to be hit hard by player departures over the off-season but can they rise again in Travis Cohalan's final year as coach?

KEY ARRIVALS: Brent Arho, Nick McCormack

KEY DEPARTURES: Harry Collins, Jordan Foster, Nathan Byrne, Dylan de Britt, Will Keogh, Jack Killalea, Zach Walgers, Stace Creasy

2017 FINISH: Fourth

The ‘Plah have been regulars in finals football over the past five years, making it to the grand final twice, along with a preliminary final on another occasion.

Only injuries and a tough finals trip to Griffith prevented them from another appearance at the pointy end last season just as they were hitting their straps.

But the Goannas’ depth will be put to the ultimate test this year after saying goodbye to some of their best players over the off-season.

Harry Collins has been their best midfielder for years, while Nathan Byrne, Jordan Foster and Dylan de Brit filled full-forward, centre-half-forward and ruck in 2017.

It’s not the first time the club has been hit hard by departures though and they have an uncanny knack of bringing in ready-made replacements from their lower grades.

Brent Arho will provide an important target in attack and they still possess enough talent to see September action again.

2018 PREDICTION: Third

Coolamon's venture into a new era under Connor Neyland has been made much more promising after a fruitful recruitment campaign.

KEY ARRIVALS: Connor Neyland, Nick Pleming, Jack Baker, Max Hillier, Cannis Tipuamantameri, Slyvanni Babui, Chris Walarpinni

KEY DEPARTURES: Roy Kantilla, Jack Munkara, Ryan Chamberlain, Mitch Stephenson, Ben Alexander, Nick Curran

2017 FINISH: Fifth

The Hoppers are one of few Riverina League clubs to be on the positive end of the ins and outs ledger over the off-season, which is positive given their promising finish to 2017.

Coolamon will enter the new season without Matt Hard in their camp for the first time in ages, but Connor Neyland’s return meant they know what they’re getting in their new coach. A quiet, tough, no-nonsense on-field leader.

Nick Pleming and Jack Baker will prove quality recruits, when they get on the paddock, while the three Tiwi Bombers recruits could be anything.

The Hoppers have a rock-solid backline, plenty of run through the midfield and one of the best forwards in the competition in Joe Redfern.

Coolamon will be slow to start but once they get everyone on the paddock, watch for them to finish the year very strongly.

The Hoppers shape as genuine premiership contenders and will have a few teams looking over their shoulders late.

2018 PREDICTION: Runners up

It has been another off-season of departures at Robertson Oval leaving Tigers with a fight to remain competitive.

KEY ARRIVALS: Nick Keegan, Mitch Castles, Matt Griffin

KEY DEPARTURES: John Buchanan, Jake Gaynor, Brendan Myers, Dylan Morton, Harvey Daniher, Lachie Myers, Nick McCormack, Simon Hallsworth, Jim Carroll, Ben Farrell

2017 FINISH: Sixth

Only six members of Wagga Tigers’ 2016 premiership team remain heading into the 2018 season.

Due to one reason or another, there has been a high turnover of players over the past two off-seasons with little coming back the other way.

Tigers still possessed enough quality last year and looked destined for finals before dipping away late.

They have since been hit hard again, so it will be difficult for Tigers to avoid slipping further down the ladder.

Coach Shaun Campbell is still one of the competition’s best, but he will miss the first three games after a pre-season suspension.

New recruit Nick Keegan looks set to make an impact, while Campbell Lovell, Nick Ryan and Lahn Shepherd will be relied upon to lead from the front.

Tigers will be young and competitive enough but it’s hard to see where their goals will come from with few recognised key forwards.

It shapes as a long year for the men from Tigerland.

2018 PREDICTION: Last

Truman Carroll's tenure as the new Turvey Park coach started with so much optimism but a couple of late blows have taken the shine off a touch.

KEY ARRIVALS: Chris Cerato, Daniel Hitchens, Brendan Bryce, Jayden Carroll, Tom Marlow, Benson Ochieng

KEY DEPARTURES: Andrew Emery, Jack Brooks, John Hoey, Kodie O'Malley, Tim Doyle

2017 FINISH: Seventh

Few teams will be as ready for round one as Turvey Park.

The Bulldogs have played four pre-season trials and come into the season with a spring in their step after winning all four.

A month ago, Turvey Park loomed as the year’s big improvers but the backflip from marquee recruit Kade Garland rocked the Bulldogs.

Throw in a pre-season suspension to their coach, and suddenly the Bulldogs start to the year appears tougher with Carroll to miss the first three games.

Turvey Park still boast quality players in Jeremy Sykes, Matt Bailey and Clint Shields, while there should be no shortage of talent coming through after they won the under 17 premiership last year.

Chris Cerato’s return brings leadership and experience, while Daniel Hitchens could be an exciting addition to the forward line.

In an even year, anything is possible for the Bulldogs but at this stage a similar season to last appears more than likely.

2018 PREDICTION: Eighth

Christin Macri returns as non-playing coach and the outlook is a lot brighter now than it was five months ago after a solid recruitment campaign.

KEY ARRIVALS: Aaron Proctor, Josh Bubnich, James Wilson, James Thomas, Nick Cooke, Jacob Dyer

KEY DEPARTURES: Luke Sicker, Luke Walsh, Lachie Steward, Mitch Carroll, Josh Hanlon, Hamish Jannings, Glenn Sypott

2017 FINISH: Eighth 

Christin Macri was appointed coach of the Lions amid much doom and gloom last November. A number of senior players from last year’s squad had left and it was getting late to gather any momentum on the recruitment front.

But GGGM have welcomed in a handful of experienced senior players to compliment some promising youngsters and established key footballers.

It’s hard to take too much from trial games but the Lions proved they will be far from a basket case by dishing out hidings to the respective premiers from the neighbouring Hume and Farrer Leagues – Osborne and Marrar.

The Lions still boast the best ruckman in the competition in Jacob Olsson and have a potential match-winner up forward in Riley Corbett, when free of under 18 representative commitments.

How good their recruits are will decide how far GGGM climb in 2018 but the outlook is much brighter now than it was five months ago.

2018 PREDICTION: Seventh

Very few teams have been able to go from winless one season to finals the next, but that's the task in front of a new-look Narrandera outfit.

KEY ARRIVALS: Josh Bennett, Damian Williams Jnr, Matt Renet, Blake Renet, Corey Baxter, Kyle Archibald, Shaun Light, Tyler Webster

KEY DEPARTURES: Mick Foster, Luke Paterson, Reece Hutton, Phil Aumann

2017 FINISH: Last

The Eagles have landed five quality recruits from Canberra, brought a couple of locals back and finished with the signing of Kyle Archibald.

The off-season could not have gone much better for Narrandera, but there’s no doubt they needed it to given the task in front of them.

They lost every game last year, by an average of 94 points, and the season before that they lost their last five games by 100 points or more.

So the recruits were certainly needed, but the additions combined with a difficult off-season for rival clubs means the Eagles can be well and truly in the mix.

Josh Bennett has a football resume to rival any in the competition, while Damian Williams Jnr could be the league’s most exciting player.

Exactly where the Eagles will finish is hard to say, but you can count on Jarred Lane’s men being much more competitive and entertaining.

2018 PREDICTION: Fifth