Work-life juggle takes toll on Talarico First XI career

BELL Post Hill is set to be without GCA great Glen Talarico (right) this season in a “big loss” for the division 1 club.

Talarico, 40, who played in the Panthers’ seconds at the weekend, has conceded he might have played the final game of First XI cricket in his outstanding career.

The club also confirmed it would be Talarico’s final season as coach. It has already begun looking for a new leader for the 2022-23 campaign.

Talarico said his availability would be a “week-byweek” proposition as he juggled work and coaching commitments.

“I’m a little bit unfit and a little bit old,” Talarico said.

“I’m about to turn 41 and not in peak shape.”

The champion all-rounder figured in Bell Post Hill’s GCA2 flag last summer, making 310 runs and taking 27 wickets for the season. Talarico works on the West Gate Tunnel project and said the recent construction shutdown was a factor in his decision.

“We had to squeeze that extra work into the last eight weeks of the year, which made taking Saturdays off a bit difficult,” he said.

“On the weekend, I got to the seconds at 1.30pm, which you can sort of get away with in the seconds … but definitely can’t do that in the firsts.”

Bell Post Hill president Mark Brady was confident the Panthers would still be competitive in their return to the top flight.

“It is a big loss but he works most weekends,” Brady said.

“We’re more interested what he develops and what he instils in the players.

“It’s not like he’s going to play forever and we know that.

“We’re already looking for a replacement (coach) for next year because he’s said he’s not going to coach next year, but he’s going to hang around and be chairman of selectors and stay involved with the club.”