Queenscliff keen for redemption after tough loss
REIGNING premier Queenscliff will be keen to get back on its carpet green when it hosts Sebastopol tomorrow in the Premier division match of the round.
Disappointed with the team’s performance in last week’s 18-shot loss to Eastern Park, coach Anthony Donohue still kept the result in perspective.
“It’s only early and Eastern Park deserved the win as they were the better side,” Donohue said.
Not much has changed in the personnel of the Coutas, with only champion leader Di Roberts making way for the return of Paul Lawrence.
Sebastopol got its 2018-19 campaign off in style with back-to-back wins.
Following the departures of three of their Bacchus Marsh travellers Simon Cornock, Don Loutitt and Tanner Dickson-Arthur, the Kookaburras will need to rely heavi- ly on the services of experienced back-end players Scott Roberts, Ian Warner and Glenn Sargent if they are to replicate last season’s top four position.
Bowls co-ordinator Rob Baker admitted there was no excitement for Sebastopol coming to Geelong to play on Queenscliff’s carpet.
“It’s not a surface we will enjoy playing on,” Baker said.
Bareena is yet to show any side effects from the loss of experienced skipper John O’Donnell, who has made his way to Melbourne Pennant to have a run with Clayton Bowls Club.
Two wins so far and skipper Brannon Shelton admits the finish to last season will motivate the team to go one better.
“Last year it was disappointing not to win on the day, so it’s motivation as a team to get better and improve,” Shelton said.
The local derby at Bareena will be an interesting battle against last year’s Division One champion Highton (1-1).
Highton’s young gun skipper Jeremy Fitzgerald is satisfied with the start to the season, saying it was good to get the Round 1 win against the Ballarat Division One champion side Buninyong.
“We settled in OK, won the first game and we were right in the game against Sebastopol last week which was a good fight,” Fitzgerald said.
For Fitzgerald himself, he is excited about the season and his own opportunity to skip his first year of the Premier division competition.