This all began when the defending champions of the 2017 Carnival season, the Juvie Boy Entertainers, sadly lost their head coach, my friend and colleague Abduraghmaan Davids just over a month ago.
The champs' slogan then changed on social media from “Bigger and Better”, to “#refocus”.
At that time, refocusing was needed as not only did they lose their combine coach, but also their moppie coach, yours truly, who had gone into retirement.
Hence, during the off-season, and when the transfer window opened, the champs managed to secure Moenier Monox Adams from All Stars as their new moppie coach, and Ameer Williams, a former die-hard Happy Boy member, as their head coach.
The All Stars then went hunting for new blood. And their sign-on has to be the most baffling one to date, in my opinion.
Waleed Hendricks, the owner of All Stars, managed to bag the legendary Tariq Blignaut, moppie and group song king from District Six Entertainers, effectively bringing an end to a 13-year relationship between Blignaut and Die Ses.
Many D6 supporters are still stunned by this and some of the troupe’s members followed their mentor to All Stars.
When I spoke to him, a pleased Mr. Hendricks said: “Ons kom die jaar met meer as ‘* bang, hou die All Stars dop!”
The District Six Entertainers, though wounded by the loss of one of their most loyal coaches, are still up for the fight and after several meetings is said to have made a “huge” signing, which they are yet to reveal to the public.
Most of the other super league teams remain unchanged for now, but I do believe that these signings will make this year’s season one of the most dynamic ones to date.
If I have to say this myself - it all became a bit predictable and boring at times because one could say a year before the time who was going to get what prize.
For example with the exhibition, we already know that Fadiel Gasant’s Orients would be taking that trophy home.
This is the case with many of the items, like Pennsylvanians holding onto the title of Grand March Pass kings for a number of years, and the Atchas being the kings of best behaviour for decades, lmk.
With that said, as far as combine, group song and moppies are concerned for the 2018 season, the coon competition is about to be as unpredictable as it should be.
I believe the changes made during the transfer period is sure to make this the most exciting Klopse spectacular in ages.
I can’t wait to see what happens and what impact the pre-season signings will bring this year.
For me, this is exactly the change that the carnival needed to bring back that excitement that the spectators deserve.