As we inch ever closer to the opening day of a new PLB season, the excitement on Planet Pins is truly palpable.

Despite a rip roaring rookie invitational, the short 1 month off-season has felt like an eternity for the PLB community. Well, we're FINALLY back. And we've been keeping close tabs on our beloved pin stars. Who's let themselves go? Who's been keeping their balls polished? And who the hell are Pin City Rollers?!

Read on for everything you need to know about what promises to be an absolute turkey of a season.

First up, the league's biggest team and current PLB Champions, it's Riders of Rowan's. Following a surge in Davy Slapz shirt sales after quashing some transfer rumours, the club's finances have never looked healthier. The same can be said about the bank balance of The Wickerman after licensing his iconic silhouette for PLB's new logo.

However, some concerns over professionalism and team recruitment have led to a looming cloud of doubt that the Riders will retain their PLB title. All eyes have been on Riders captain Davie 2 Shoes who has spent the summer enjoying himself perhaps a little too much. Immediately after lifting the trophy, 2 Shoes jetted off to the party destination of Magaluf and has been chewing his way through the nightclubs. After being photographed topless in the overbearing arms of the washed up Cat Daddy, some of the Rohirrim think 2 Shoes has been led astray.

But others, taking a more objective stance, know that the Riders captain has completely lost his mind. That's the only way to explain his recruitment strategy. Just like his patter, it is somewhat lacking. The only notable piece of business completed by 2 Shoes thus far has been the inexplicable departure of Moz "Moz" Moz. Despite Moz bagging a Turkey in the season finale, 2 Shoes did a U-turn on the heavy hitting pintsman, quickly shipping him back to The Netherlands. Fans will also be deeply concerned following the shock retirement news of the ever reliable, Harry "Melon" Lemon. Whilst 2 Shoes was getting a henna on the beach, some quick thinking from Albert "Balbert" Lew kept the gentle giant in the fold a little longer by persuading him to stay for half the season. From there, Melon will embark on a year long research project on behalf of Balbert Bew University (BBU) looking into the links between baldness and better bowling all around the world. We wish him all the best.

PLB Pre-Season Prediction - A team full of talent but lacking leadership, squad depth and patter - 2nd place finish.

Pinter Milan have also had a quiet transfer window but Captain Pins Magee has been clear from the outset about his belief in the current system. The pundits would tend to agree after seeing the black and blues really start to gel in the latter part of the season. It was a little too late to topple the might of the Riders but you could see a new found confidence in Magee's men late on. This has been boosted further still by Magee investing heavily in backroom staff and pre-season training camps.

There's no doubt in the physicality of Miky "Big Time" Faulkner's game but all too often we have seen the Pinter man literally fall apart around his 6th or 7th ball. We all know that pin tumbling is as much a mental game as a physical one and, as the Big Time is approaching his prime, a few critics started to write him off suggesting a transfer move. Pins Magee immediately hit back by doubling down on the big man sending him off to a "Mental Strength" retreat in Greece. Magee is confident that this will snuff out the Big Time's inconsistency. The Bookies seemed to agree when they slashed the odds of Mik taking home player of the season.

Magee's inspirational tutelage didn't stop there. Having found a winning formula in Hickman and Hackett as First and Second ball, the Pinter captain has had them sharing each others' balls for the entire off-season. There are doubts over Hackett's fitness for the Season opener but we can't wait to see these two side by side in Game 2.

A true leader, Pins Magee then turned his attention to Pinter's biggest problem - Strikarr. Unbelievable on the lanes, unreliable in the dressing room. Undeterred, Magee set to work and has confirmed that a new lucrative contract has been agreed. Magee commented "Strikarr is 100% focused. Strikarr is 100% Pinter".

PLB Pre-Season Prediction - A consistent team of boys with unbelievable leadership, prowess and patter. 1st place finish.

Pin City Rollers. The new kids on the lane. We've had PLB Weekly's favourite son, investigator extraordinaire Guhhter Bawl, out to find out more about the league's newcomers. Unsurprisingly relatively little is known about them. Self-proclaimed captain, Jamie "Renegade" Regan, showed his mettle at the rookie invitational consistently bagging 110+ scores. Born and raised in Pin City, Regan's love for the club has shone through in the face of the almost insurmountable task of signing 5 players in less than a week. It's been a busy transfer window but Renegade grabbed the situation by the scruff on the pin and fans of the Rollers can now start to get excited for the club's maiden outing on Thursday night.

Whilst the team sheet is still relatively uncertain, we've heard rumblings of a Tom and a second Jamie. Guhtter Bawl couldn't find out much about their bowling pedigree but the Pin City captain commented on their utter hatred for the pins, which is obviously great to see.

Elsewhere in Pin City, we've seen the new signing of young David Netherway. Having consistent Davies on the team sheet helped Riders of Rowan's to victory last season so we're really looking forward to seeing what happens with yet another Davy the league. There's a lot of excitement around Netherway in Pin City but question marks have been raised about his ball speed. Will he be able to contend with the unrelenting pace of Riders legend Davy Slapz? Let's see on Thursday.

PLB Pre-Season Prediction - Unadulterated determination from a rabble of misfits and renegades. Expect the unexpected. Could be 1st, won't be 2nd, most likely a 3rd place finish.

Join us at Rowan's for coverage of the season opener this Thursday 7th July at 7pm. The pins are terrified.