I think its anyones chance this season. A lot of the top teams spent some $$ towards the end of the season to shore up their weaknesses, only to see Crockers put all best laid plans out the door with his splurge.
So that leaves most of the top teams from last season weathering a spending splurge from last season which they potentially cannot carry across into this season. Already Northcote have dumped a bunch of guys, looking to free up some cash, and in the meantime, there is always the chance that someone like All-stars, or Team Lordy (not pointing fingers, just picking some random teams).... are sitting on a pile of diamonds waiting to cash them in last week before finals and do another Crockers to take out the division. Do they risk doign that? What if BOTH do it? what if 5 teams do it? All potentially posibble.
Last season two teams went bot, and Doc's pretty much tanked all season, so there was 3 out of 16 teams who were obviously not competitive, whilst other teams were pretty much just happy to place 5th, which left playoff position secondary to relegation avoidance, especially on this side of the league.
This season, no one really looks obvious to tank, yet no one looks obvious to take out the title either. Conference leaders Snuffies and Violators are the best bets, yet both are stinging from semi-final losses of last year.... Some sleeping dragons from last year who everyone was fearful of, who failed to delivery on that fear (im looking at you Corio and Hadders Heros!) might just come out and decide that this season is their time to strike....
And with 4 out of the 5 new teams winning their first games in surprising fashion, this season is probably THE most complex, interesting, and unfortunately tactically challanging of all seasons I have seen.
as for you Mr Violator, - if Ezyfrag can still be kicking around in Div III after what is it now.... 8 seasons in Div III? and still be motivated enough to come up to Div II, then im sure you will find the motivation to continue. :)))) - oh dear he just normal'd his first game, when he only set 4 players in his lineup *sigh* ...and lost... never mind ezy.. never mind.