The 2016 Winter League starts tomorrow with a programme of three matches and will end eight weeks later on April 26.

During this period there will be a two-week Easter break to make way for a short rest and the Age-Group Easter Swim Meet which is held annually.

Six teams will make up the Premier League which many expect to be another keenly-fought competition with a possible tight finish as was the case last year.

There will be four teams in the First Division, including the ASA Under-19 national team which will also form part of the top league as the seventh side.

In both divisions the juniors will be playing out of competition.

Top contenders for the Premier honours are Neptunes Grimaldi (nine times winners), San Ġiljan ASC (1) and Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate (8) who finished on equal points last year, with the first-mentioned side pipping their two rivals on the countback of direct encounters and goal-difference.

The forward-looking Sirens Ritter Sport, three times winners of the winter title, could also very well make their presence felt when the final reckoning is made.

Exiles Ferretti and Valletta McDonald’s complete the line-up in the hope that they too will make an impact on the competition when trying to grapple with more-quoted opponents.

The league will start with 21 round-robin matches. After the contestants are split between the top and bottom groups there will be play-offs for the title involving the first three-placed teams.

The Second Division, commencing today week, will be made up of Marsascala Nutrition Empire, Otters Nivea and Ta’ Xbiex Amigos, besides the junior team. The league will be played over two rounds, with the honours going to the side finishing first.

Judging by last year’s results, tomorrow’s matches should be balanced, starting from the clash between Exiles and Valletta.

Both teams will give an inkling of their respective strength this year.

The young Sirens outfit, this year without Edward Aquilina who returned to Sliema, are expected to provide Neptunes a very tough challenge.

This time the Balluta Bay Reds will be partly dismantled since influential left-hander Michele Stellini and Clint Mercieca will not be in the side, the former through retirement and the latter after having joined San Ġiljan.

The last match is the plum fixture between the Saints and Sliema, two strong sides in all departments replete with experienced players blended with young talent, besides their new signings.

They will certainly fight it out for an early kick-start.

All in all, a very keen programme of matches is anticipated despite most of the players not being in top physical and tactical condition at this early stage of the 2016 waterpolo campaign.

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