Victoria bulks up

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Western lacrosse officials admit they're concerned that some of their teams might follow the free-spending lead of the three straight Mann Cup winners from Six Nations as they try to get the coveted gold mug back to the west for the first time since 1991.

Reliable sources with the Six Nations club - the first and only reserve-based team to win the top Senior lacrosse prize - say the Chiefs spent $190,000 to clinch their first national championship in 1994. The spending has dropped steadily since, but the team is still paying premium prices to keep the core of its galaxy of stars.

WLA commissioner Randy Radonich says he'd rather concede the Mann Cup to the east than allow that kind of spending to unbalance the western league. He worries that if one team out-spends its opponents and "buys" a championship, the league games will become predictable and dull. Radonich says the popularity of the WLA will suffer if the talent isn't well spread out among the six clubs in the loop.

After traveling all the way to Brantford, Ont. last fall to be humbled in a four-game sweep by the Chiefs, this year the Victoria Shamrocks decided they want another taste of western glory followed by a chance to re-write the ending of the national final.

o The defending WLA champs made key additions for '97, adding one future hall of famer when Gary Gait signed on after leaving the Ontario-based Brooklin Redmen. Gait joins his twin brother Paul, who left Six Nations after the second cup win in '95 to join the North Shore Indians. Neil Doddridge, a member of all three Six Nations cup winners, was also lured to Victoria. He led the team in scoring after Week 1. Also added was Del Halladay from North Shore .

They join last year's western league MVP Tyson Leies, and cup standouts Rick Brown, Chris Prat and Darren Reisig.

o The North Shore Indians, the team that has traditionally employed the most Aboriginal players in the WLA, was in a first-place tie with Victoria after Week 1. North Shore signed Pete Skye, the MVP in last year's Senior "B" President's Cup tourney with the Akwesasne Thunder. Joe Rosa returns west after grabbing two championship rings with Six Nations. He joins brother John who played on the '94 and '95 Mann Cup teams before joining North Shore last season.

Curt Malawski, a long-time New West star and a first team all-star last season, was acquired in a trade after the Indians' first game. He had four points in his North Shore debut. Paul Gait will again be a dominant offensive threat for the team that knocked off New Westminster in seven during last year's playoffs only to fall in four straight to Victoria.

o The Maple Ridge Burrards finished second to North Shore in the '96 regular season but then were swept aside in the semis by third place Victoria. Some are picking the Burrards to finish behind Victoria this year. Two first team all-stars - Rich Catton and the high-scoring Chris Gill - provide a solid foundation. Daren Fridge, Joe Finstad and goaltender Darren Goundrey should have breakthrough years.

o The Coquitlam Adanacs' Kevin Brunsch scored eight points in three games in Week 1 to win player of the week honors. The Ads edged Burnaby and suffered losses to Victoria and North Shore. A trio of Ontario imports, including Ryan Sanderson who spent the winter with the Buffalo Bandits of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League and played Junior for the Minto Cup machine from Orangeville, will add to the veteran strength provided by Bill Callan and Dallas Eliuk.

o The New Westminster Salmonbellies seem to be in decline. The legendary Geordie Dean is back to pad his career scoring numbers, but the chances are that the "Montreal Canadiens of lacrosse" as five straight Mann Cup winning coach Les Wakeling calls the franchise, might be in for a rebuilding season or two.

o The Burnaby Lakers played .500 lacrosse in '96 but they haven't been able to convince their number one pick to sign and one of their two second team all-stars wans out. Draft pick Kyle Goundrey may bring something in return if he's moved as will all-star John Wilson.