Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2018/2019

Surprisingly state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern doesn't allow state capital Schwerin to give additional 2 million Euro to SSC Palmberg Schwerin to upgrade the Palmberg arena. Typical both support their state standout sports team, therefore I'm pretty sure, that they decided correctly, that it would be totally illegal to allow Schwerin to support the extension of the hall financially. The core reason is the bad financial situation of state capital Schwerin. On the other hand I don't expect anybody to sue the state for such a positive decision. But politically this is of course a dangerous approach. Maybe Schwerin can find some private money to get things done? Let us wait, what will happen... details are hidden behind a paywall of svz newspaper online.

Middles Emily Thater and Wivian Gadelha de Souza stay in Erfurt.

Quote from Matthias

And according to the article that concludes their planning. Once again a rather poor roster, the only enforcements compared to last season are Sagardia and Kosonen IMO. I'm surprised about Wivian staying, I thought she performed rather poor last season, no comparison to what she showed in Straubing before.

They have not even a second setter, so they must hope, that Sagardia stays healthy and can cope alone with the task. I think, they expect also an early end in DVV cup and just want to avoid being the last professional team this time again, not more.

The new software makes the forum looking more fresh and will hopefully work now flawlessly, but the title entries of the posts vanished. I add now the team names as headers explicitly on first page as replacement.

Quote from losta

I cant go to the last post. how can i do that?

I propose, that you jump to last page and afterwards to the end of that. Feels for me unchanged, by the way.

Quote from Matthias

NawaRo Straubing signs OH Julia Wenzel from Stuttgart's 2nd team.

I think, she will now do the next step, she was sometimes as dual license player even in first team, even had some short appearances in European Cups.

Another paywall article of the svz explains, that fire prevention measures may enforce reduction of allowed spectators in Schwerins Palmberg hall - this is a likely outcome, now knowing the hall, because the reailty was for sure not conformant to fire protection regulations, when we attended a match in December 2017 there.

Now we can try a first assessment of the rosters of the top three teams regarding the championships. IMHO Schwerin is a little weaker than in previous season, mainly because neither Drewniok nor Doshkova are a real replacement for Lippmann.

Dresden is likely to be a little stronger than last season because Stigrot is supposed to be better as all OHs of last season.

Stuttgart should be a little stronger as previously, mainly due to opposite Rivers, which should be better as both van Daelen and Perovic.

So my personal guess for the championships of the first three is:

1. Stuttgart

2. Schwerin

3. Dresden

Of course there are other factors to consider too: 1. injuries can turn the tide. Not only Stuttgart suffered a lot the last three seasons in the final series, a number of years ago Dresden had the very same issue, before defeating Schwerin for the first time and ending a Schwerin three-times-streak. 2. load of other competitions, especially European Cups: Schwerin should have exactly three pool stage rounds respective 6 matches (three at home and three abroad), if there is no insane draw like last season, and than be out. Stuttgart will play two qualification rounds, i.e. four matches, and than either also pool stage like Schwerin additionally, what means four matches more, or lose in final qualification against Alba Blaj and go down to CEV cup, than they will likely have two more rounds or four matches more, which means one round or two matches more than Schwerin, before being out against Galatasaray in quarters. Dresden should be out already in first round and just two matches against two times competition winner Busto Arsizio and will have by far the lowest load by European Cups.

Interestingly Stuttgart hosts Dresden already in first round of DVV cup, so one of both will be out fairly early (more likely Dresden), which can modify things too.

And generally speaking, the top three are supposed to be closer together regarding strength than last season, so the top matches are supposed to be extremely interesting...