It makes sense to start with the Premiership champions who welcome Caberfeidh to The Dell in a repeat of the opening fixture of the curtailed 2020 season. Kingussie will be without defensive lynchpin Calum Grant through injury and have lost Kieran MacPherson to their opponents over the winter break. Kingussie were in imperious form for most of last season, so Cabers will be hoping that they don’t start the same way this time around.

Badenoch Ladies pipped Skye to the title in 2019 losing only one match all season and conceding a mere 7 goals. They open the season on Sunday against GMA at home in what will be a good test for the champions. Co-Manager Iain Robinson said: “We have now picked up the League Title (2019) and the MOWI Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup (2018) so I think the natural progression for us is to target the double – Scott has the girls training well and we are all excited for the season to start.”

Fort’s introduction to the MOWI Premiership is with a home tie against Glasgow Celtic Society Cup winners Kyles Athletic. Fort William may have lost some of that momentum that they had after an unbeaten campaign in 2019, however, they will see Kyles as a benchmark for their aspirations this season – win here and they could be looking at a strong season.

Kyles Manager Robert Baxter said: We are looking forward to getting the season underway against Fort William, Victor and Adi have been working really hard over the last few years building their team – from seeing them play whilst refereeing, they are a very talented young outfit. It should be a great advert for shinty.”

Aberdour won MOWI South Division 1 in 2019 and as such they have been promoted to the MOWI National Division. 2021 was a tough year for ‘Dour as their regionalised league included Premiership stalwarts Oban Camanachd and Kyles Athletic. This week however, it is a far more even contest as they welcome a Beauly side that finished 6^th in 2019. Aberdour is a fair trip for most of the teams in the National so it seems home form is going to have to be something that they capitalise on if they are to extend their stay in the MOWI National Division.

Newtonmore II won MOWI North Division 1 in 2019 after a hard fought league campaign with Glengarry. ‘More went on to have a very successful 2021 – finishing top of their league– while also winning the Highland Industrial Supplies Sutherland Cup and narrowly missing out on the Strathdearn. The North Division 1 Champions will be without 2021 Captain Somhairle Thomson for the visit of Kinlochshiel as he joins up with Kyles Athletic this season – so the goals will have to come from elsewhere in the squad this time round.

MOWI North Division 2 Champions, Lochcarron make the trip to Balgate to take on Strathdearn Cup holders Lovat II. Lochcarron were comfortably promoted in 2019 beating Beauly to the title by 4 points while racking up the most goals for and least against (tied with Strathspey and Lewis, respectfully). This match certainly represents a step up in quality though, with Lovat reaching the final of both 2^nd team cup competitions in 2021 – if the west coast club can pick up both points here it would lay down a real statement to the rest of the league.

Kilmory picked up an impressive 18 points from 10 games in 2019 – losing only once in their title winning campaign. The opening fixture of the season sees them taking on an Inveraray side dropping down from the division above in what should be a very interesting fixture – there was only 4 points between Inveraray and mid table side Taynuilt in 2019 and they yellow and blacks might fancy themselves to bounce straight back up this time around.

Lovat Ladies won the 2019 MOWI North Division 2 title, finishing 4 points ahead of Glengarry. The side were in action last week where they picked up both points in a 13-3 victory away to Strathspey, Jennifer Mair grabbing the headlines with a 5 goal display. If they can carry that momentum into this weekend’s match against Badenoch II then they have a real chance of making it 2 from 2 – Badenoch, however, have decent depth and it should be an interesting first outing for their new 2^nd team.

2019 MOWI South Division 2 champions Ardnamurchan II will travel to Kilmory on Sunday in their first outing of the season. Ard won the league by 4 points in 2019 and will be hoping that they can continue that form this weekend.