Hawks’ plans for A1 return
DRYSDALE is desperate to return to the A1 competition, but admits its depth will be tested as the club goes through a transition phase more than four years after a premiership.
Just three players remain from the mighty 2014-15 side that won the club’s second BPCA A-grade flag.
After becoming the first club relegated under the new restructure following a disappointing 2018-19, the Hawks sought the outside experience of former St Leonards coach Wayne Foenander in an attempt to bounce back.
“One of our objectives after last season was to try and freshen the club up a little bit and get a new voice in,” star batsman and former captain Shane Cutajar said.
“It’s been the same senior people doing the captaining and the coaching for the Agrade club the last 10 years.
“We thought appointing (Foenander) would be great because he’s already seen that first year of A2 cricket so he knew the other clubs’ strengths and weaknesses and where they’re at.”
Cutajar, one of those three premiership players still pulling on the gold and brown from the 2014-15 flag-winning side, thought he would have retired by now, but is determined to leave the club in a safe position.
“I probably retired before the start of last season, but had to come back because the coach we thought we had fell through and there was no one around to do the job,” Cutajar said. “It was a similar position this year, but we’ve had (Jason) Mallett retire and the club sort of said to me: ‘We’ve lost a fair bit of experience, and for both of you to finish off at the same time would be really detrimental’.”
The veteran batsman is still crucial to the Hawks’ top order, along with Jason Malcolm and the recently returned Nick Hallam — who took up the position as captain.
Cutajar made a crucial 69 in the weather-affected draw last weekend against Wallington, but seeing him at the crease will be a rare sight this season as part of his slow transition out of his playing days.
Tomorrow’s game against Armstrong Creek will be Cutajar’s last before Christmas.
He admitted the Hawks’ depth had to get better to compete with the “Inverleighs and Winchelseas” of the division.
“The club is going to have to get use to the fact so much experience has gone in the last four years and we’re probably fortunate Nick (Hallam) came back after a year off,” he said.
“He’s got a lot of young guys to work with and you’d like to think it’s going to happen straight away and we’ll be out of A2, but it may take a season or two.”
Queensland the other day.”
Warner’s return for Australia in the Twenty20 format over the next fortnight couldn’t have come at a worse time.
He will miss NSW’s next Shield match against South Australia because of the clashing schedules, and rush back for the last-round game before the November 21 Test.
“It’s a little disappointing with the scheduling, but we’ve had that for many years and can’t do anything about that,” Warner said.
“I play all three formats and I have to put my best foot forward to do what I do. I’m in the Twenty20 team and I have to participate in that.”