THE grand finals of the Premier League Hockey competitions are yet to be played, but already the league’s president Dave Watson has labelled 2008 as the best season ever.

Watson is in his second year of PLH presidency, but has been involved in the Central West competition since 1988, so his assessment of the competition is a well-educated one.

“All I can say is this is the best yet, I think this year is the best year I’ve ever taken part in. The quality of the teams and the standard of play every weekend is just unbelievable,” Watson said.

“This year it seems like every second week you are reading in the paper about someone making a rep team, the women more so than the men, as men’s state teams are harder to get into. But I have no doubt all those players have benefited from the standard of hockey they get in premier league week-in and week-out.”

This Saturday’s grand finals are expected to continue the high standard of hockey Watson speaks of.

The men’s decider will be a replay of the 2007 grand final with Lithgow Panthers to host Souths, the game to start at 3pm.

In the women’s it is a clash of local rivals with defending premiers Bathurst City meeting perennial finalists St Pat’s, this fixture expected to get underway at 1.50pm at Bob Roach Field.

“The way it has panned out I think it could look like standard procedure, but people can forget that some of the results this season were very close and things could have ended up differently - I just think it was finals experience that helped teams get through,” Watson said.

“I think in the women’s game if anyone was taking a punt Bathurst City would have to be favourites, they have probably been the favourites all season, but I wouldn’t underestimate Pat’s.

“Down in Lithgow for the men’s, I’m not too sure. Lithgow will probably be favourites but it’s going to be that close, all it could take is one player getting injured or something to swing the game.”