The race for promotion to Senior One looks to be the most open for years, with five or six clubs harbouring genuine title aspirations.
At full strength, there isn't much between quite a few of the leading clubs, but St Johnston and Sion Mills look to have the most strength in depth, and that could well be the telling factor come September.
Donegal side St Johnston appear to be on paper the best balanced side, and having missed out narrowly on promotion to Ardmore last year, they will be keen to return to the top flight for the first time since 1994.
They had no fewer than six bowlers who featured prominently in the averages last season, and in Rammohan Goud, they have one of the best bowlers in the league. The others being Andrew Fleming, Rennie Cole, David Barnard, Ian and David MacBeth.
They won't be far away when the medals are being distributed.
Another club with a famous past, Sion Mills appear to be well placed also to mount a serious challenge. Raymond Moan has been instrumental in reviving the flagging fortunes of the Tyrone side, and they will fancy their chances of a return to the top echelon of North West cricket.
Hasnan Abbas is back as their overseas professional, and with a season under his belt to acclimatize he could be even more prolific than his return of 726 runs at 60, and 25 wickets at 14. If Sion can get all their 'old hands' out on the field, they will be hard to beat. I expect them to push St Johnston all the way.
Sperrin Springs winners Burndennett have been dealt a major blow with the departure of the high scoring Mark Roulston. His loss means they appear to be a little short in terms of a championship challenge, they do still have enough talent in their ranks to win another cup.
In Aidan Boyle and Stephen McCay, they have two of the most talented all rounders in the division, and it is a credit to both that they have resisted concerted moves for them to switch allegiances.
Drummond are another side who are consistently inconsistent. They are boosted by the return of Shazad Butt as their professional. Gregory McDaid, Craig Hartin and Stevie Moore are all very talented performers, but they suffer from a lack of depth.
They seem to have trouble fielding their strongest side, and Wasim Mohammed's absence for most of last season hampered their trophy hunt.
Two other clubs who fit comfortably into that category are Creevedonnell and Coleraine. The 'Donnell are more than a match for any side in the league, evidenced by their annual victories in the Samuel Jeffrey Cup. They have a new professional in their ranks, 27 year old wicket-keeper batsman Hanif Malik.
He is from the Hyderabad club in Pakistan, and to date has played a total of 55 first class games, scoring a total of 1572 runs at 17.86. He has taken an impressive 146 catches, as well as 11 stumpings. He has scored six half centuries, with a highest score of 90. He will have a hard act to follow, as Rasmi Das enjoyed a wonderful 2007.
Leyton and Ellis McGerrigle both enjoyed successful campaigns, but the club struggled on the league front. They have been boosted with the return of Raymond Gibson, and that should bolster their relatively weak attack.
Coleraine have also a new overseas player in their ranks. Mohammad Salman is a wicket-keeper batsman, who is on the verge of international recognition. He should provide a necessary tonic to a squad who endured a dreadful 2007 season, finishing second from bottom.
The club have invested heavily in their youth structure, and this offers hope of better times ahead. Plagued in recent years by unavailability and injuries, this could be the year they get the club back on track. I fancy them to be much more competitive this time out, although it may take a few years before they can be considered title contenders.
Bonds Glen have one of the best bowling line ups in the league, but their batting lacks solidity. Too many players go for the big shots, irrespective of the game situation.
Colin Hall, Leslie and Jason Curry, and David and Roy Robinson all featured highly in the bowling averages, but their leading batsman in terms of runs scored was Richard Rodgers, with just 322.
Killyclooney are without a doubt, one of the success stories in North West cricket. Living in the shadow of Donemana, they haven't suffered in comparison with their illustrious neighbours. They now have two pitches, and put out three teams on a Saturday. They achieved their highest ever finish in senior cricket in 2007.
The club have managed to hold on to their crop of talented teenagers and that augurs well for the current season. Dean McCarter and Alan Colhoun both scored over 500 runs last year and Ashley Buchanan and James Colhoun contributed significantly as well.
The Nedd are another club who play the game with a smile on their face, and certainly know how to enjoy the social side of their club. They do have talented players in the shape of Ian and Gary Smyth and Vinny O'Hara, who are all proven match winners.
They have managed to recruit Alexander Steele from Crindle, and I think he'll be quite a success at The Nedd, and they may register more wins than they generally do.
Last but not least are North Fermanagh, who managed just a solitary point last time out. Another season like that, and the club may well have folded, which may go some way to explaining their recruitment campaign in the close season. Scoring the chance to bring an overseas player, they have ploughed their resources into the local talent, and have captured Mark Roulston from Burndennett, as well as promising youngsters Paul and John Carlin from Strabane.
That injection of fresh talent, together with the experience players, could may well mean that they enjoy their most productive season in years.
So there you have it - the runners and riders for the title – quite a few hurdles along the way to overcome.