TIGERS AIR CONCERNS
THOMSON champion Grant Dew has called for more transparency around the Geelong Cricket Association’s promotion-relegation system after the Tigers were yesterday bumped to Division 3 for next summer.
The Tigers will be replaced by GCA3 premier Modewarre after being the lowest-ranked Division 2 team in the association’s contentious two-year rolling average system.
Murgheboluc has been given until Friday to decide whether it will accept the GCA’s offer to be elevated back to Division 1.
Geelong City sits in the gun for relegation from GCA1 as the division’s lowest-ranked club, but it is believed the Frogs are leaning towards staying in GCA2, reluctant to become a yoyo between the competitions.
GROVEDALE is set to adopt a leadership model that carried Geelong to the 2007 premiership as it bids to cover the loss of inspirational skipper Barry Tsitas.
Tigers coach Bryan Thomas said the club had modified its coaching structure for next season, bringing in key club figures to help take the grand finalist to its next premiership.
“We’re going to have a director of cricket and a cricket panel, and I’ve put in place a leadership group of six people, based on what Geelong did in 2007,” Thomas said.
“With a club like Grovedale and how strong it is, we need to do something post-Barry. What he has achieved over the years has been a powerful thing.
“I’m not going to replace him with one person — that would be too much pressure — but we’ll get more hands on deck.
“I’ll be coach, we’ll have a cricket director, Mark Baker will be batting coach again, Simon Pearce has come on board as assistant coach and we’ve got a few mentors who will step up.
“The leadership group is coming together as we speak. Gareth (Yelland) and (Chris Young) Youngy have put their hands up for that, Luke Ford will be in it with Nick Hyden and Jordan Moran.
“We’ll add one or two that are worthy. It’s loosely based on Geelong (of 2007) and if your players drive the club you’re halfway home, aren’t you?”
A great of GCA cricket, Tsitas announced his retirement prior to the finals series, before leading the Tigers into the grand final.
He claimed 508 wickets, while securing four premierships from seven grand finals.
The champion leg-spinner will be missed on the field, but Thomas believes the hardnosed competitor will be harder to replace off the pitch.
“He did a dossier on the Friday night on every member of the opposition team,” Thomas said. “The work he put in was amazing, as well as being a strong leader.”
Grovedale is yet to appoint a new captain, with Thomas and the prospective candidates set to come together.
“The leadership group will spend a couple of days down at Aireys Inlet and we’ll talk about what we need to do,” Thomas said. “Amongst the leadership group, they will choose a captain. A couple of blokes have put their hands up, and then we’ll take that to the committee.”
The Tigers have already put the feelers out, hopeful of bolstering their bowling stocks.
“I’ve had a talk to a few fast bowlers, but our batting is pretty strong and we’d only be topping up in that department,” he said. “The point system is a bit of a problem. I enjoy the points system because everyone is even across the board, but you’ve just got to work extra hard to find players.
“We’ll lose Tobias Hogg and Barry, but they’re both two-pointers, so we don’t have a lot of room to move pointswise.”
Thomas said Moran would take the gloves from Hogg, having stood aside last season as he battled finger issues.