With such a gap between the Metro season (especially if you missed the finals) and the start of the ABL on the 5th March (three months) it would be a good idea, seeing ABL teams are always looking for pre sesaon pick up games, to have some sort of pre season tournament. It is probably to late for this year but ceratinly in 2006 I would like to see the ABL split into two groups of five based on their finishing position in the previous ABL season and play a four game round robin series over say a tuesday/ saturday/tuesday/saturday with the two winners of each group playing off the foloowing saturday. You could start late January however you would have to work around Sixers/Lighning home games but on a free saturday you could use Pasadena & wayville (6 courts) and play games. Come up with some sort of fee structure for the Clubs to cover referees, although it would be an ideal oportunity for the referees to train/ introduce promising younger umpires to ABL type games, and try and find a sponsor that would put up some prizemoney for the winning teams.