Ultimate 2024/25 Townsville Cricket guide: Ins, outs, storylines for each club
The departure of a rising star to Wests’ GF rivals Brothers has not dented the Magpies’ title hopes, while rumours swirl that an old Subs hero may be moving on to a new team - again.
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Wests have won three premierships in the last five seasons but new challengers are emerging around them.
A new generation of cricketers are readying themselves to break into first grade and senior stars have officially been put on notice.
WESTERN SUBURBS
Last year: Premiers (10-2 record)
Runs scored: 1260 (4th)
Wickets taken: 94 (1st)
The departure of rising star Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila to Wests’ grand final rivals Brothers has not dented the Magpies’ enthusiasm around its emerging generation of cricketers.
Wests will again lean on senior players and Queensland Country representatives Sam Lowry, Lachlan Ford and Justin Dixon but a top class of youngsters is itching to make its mark for the defending champions.
“I think it will be mostly the same (as last year), if not a bit different with a few younger guys coming in,” prospective debutant Josh Neilson said.
“I hope I’m one of them. We’ve got a couple out (for Round 1’s grand final rematch against Brothers) so there will be two kids my age coming in, and then me hopefully as well.
“Beau McCarron’s looking good to play well this year. I hope he scores a lot of runs.”
Neilson, 17, is a left-arm orthodox spinner completing his Year 11 studies at Southern Cross Catholic College.
His experience with the Gold City Bulls in the Mendi Tropical Big Bash this pre-season has shown Neilson is ready for a shot in A Grade.
Competition for places in the team will again be fierce.
McCarron, the younger brother of Norths spearhead Ryan McCarron, is the outstanding junior batsman in the district having led the Northern team with the bat at the under-16 Bulls Masters Cup in January.
He shapes as a top order prospect, while young batters Jett Prien, Pierce Carrara and Jaecob Prien are also among those gunning to feature more in A Grade after debuting last season.
In the bowling ranks, veterans Justin Dixon, Sam Lowry and Kyle Dearness will form an impressive pace battery well supported by 2023/24 Queensland under-19 quick Ben Ramsbotham.
Returning players: Sam Lowry, Lachlan Ford, Justin Dixon, Shaun Curnow, Jack Raffles, Kyle Dearness, Luke Lamborn, Sahan Wijayasekara, Tony Hampson, Ben Ramsbotham, Beau McCarron, Lachlan Hutchings, Oskar Morrison-Beard, Jett Prien, Pierce Carrara, Kyle Phillips, Nathan Hutchings, Jaecob Prien
2024/25 recruits: Nil
Out: Samuel Bray (Gold Coast), Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila (Brothers)
BROTHERS
Last year: Grand finalists (5-8 record)
Runs scored: 1563 (3rd)
Wickets taken: 90 (2nd)
Retirement has claimed five of Brothers’ front-liners from last year’s run to the grand final, sliding open the doors to a refreshed outfit to take on 2024/25.
Brothers has been the most active recruiter in Townsville, bringing young rep stars Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila (bowling all-rounder) and Casee Jeffree (wicketkeeper-bat) to replace Justin Rawlins and Ieuan Harker.
Senior statesman Chris Horn said the season shaped as a changing of the guard for Brothers.
“We’ve had a departure of some senior players, mainly with young families and a couple of young guys have moved to Brisbane,” the medium-pacer said.
“A few young ones are getting an opportunity so we’re excited about what the young guys can do.
“We’re really looking for Declan Murray to stand up as one of our senior bowlers, from last year. He’ll lead our attack, and there’s also another young left-armer Josh Benny who’s a really exciting talent and can bat pretty well too.
“We’re pleased to have Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila joining us this year, he’s a really exciting talent as a pace bowler too.
“Then in the batting area we’ve got young Zac Hayes and Oscar Storor, who are still very young, but they’ll get some chance of first grade this year and we’ve excited to see how they can build their careers with us.”
The experience of captain Cooper Guest and Brendan Haylett will be critical as the bridge between Brothers eras - particularly with opener Sam Jarrett moving away before Christmas.
Returning players: Cooper Guest, Sam Jarrett, Brendan Haylett, Chris Horn, Declan Murray, Josh Benny, Logyn-John Webster
2024/25 recruits: Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila (Wests), Casee Jeffree (Wanderers)
Out: Jamie Heit (Wanderers), Justin Rawlins (retired), Ieuan Harker (retired), Hayden Searle (retired), Bailee Brown (Brisbane), Herbert Heuir (retired), Reece Danher (retired), Mitchell Rawlins (retired)
Uncertain: Harley Gough, Corey Gulliver, Elliot Palmer (work commitments)
NORTHS
Last year: Semi-finalists (7-5 record)
Runs scored: 1946 (1st)
Wickets taken: 76 (3rd)
Norths have lost four members of last year’s side that fell one game short of the grand final but have plenty to be optimistic about in 2024/25.
The club lost the services of all three of its stellar pace battery of 2022/23 at times last season but a clean bill of health means the club can unleash its greatest strength once again.
Travis Busch, Kai Adami and Ryan McCarron will form the finest fast bowling line-up in the district.
Norths were the topscoring side last season but it was the loss of their wicket-taking ability that hurt the team badly, with the two best bowling sides of the competition meeting on grand final day.
Veteran clubman Matt Grant said internal impressions suggested Norths was in for a big year.
“We failed in the finals but we have pretty much the same team coming back, with a couple of new people to supplement the guys that we’ve lost, but looking very, very strong,” he said.
“We’re in a great position to go back to the finals again.
“It’s going to be a very strong competition but I think we’ve put everything in place to really be a contender for the finals at the end of the year.”
Vanuatu international Patrick Matautaava will not return this season but his compatriots Apolinaire Stephen, Andrew Mansale, Junior Kaltapau are set to reprise their stellar cameos from last year.
Nalin Nipiko could yet raise the Norths’ Vanuatu international representative contingent to four should he confirm his availability.
Returningplayers: Chris Stanger, Travis Busch, Cody Sadler, Ryan McCarron, Gareth Sim, Jarrod Camer, Kai Adami, Andrew Mansale, Apolinaire Stephen, Josh De Munari, Junior Kaltapau, Gayan Bandara, Quinlan McMahon, Lane Kohler, Zack Adami, Adam Camer, Matt Harris, Benjamin Dempsey, Sudara Jayasekara
2024/25 recruits: Nil
Out: Patrick Matautaava (Vanuatu), Adam Zabala (Brisbane), Connor Sadler (rugby league), Sam Collingwood (Bundaberg)
Uncertain: Nalin Nipiko, Connor Lindsay
WANDERERS
Last year: Fourth (3-6 record)
Runs scored: 1059 (5th)
Wickets taken: 61 (5th)
Wanderers are crossing all their fingers and toes that one of Townsville’s greatest all-rounders will don the brown and white for the Mighties this season.
After a lifetime playing for Sub Parks, Jamie Heit could play for his third club in three seasons if he elects against retiring from cricket.
The 2020/21 district co-MVP is still one of Townsville’s most dangerous all-around weapons with the bat and bowl entering his age 35 season.
After falling short in last year’s grand final with Brothers, his first at a new club, there is a belief that Heit may call time on his glittering local career.
Heit has nothing left to prove but would form a valuable double-act with Northern representative Ryan Eaton, who has shouldered the burden as Wanderers’ lone superstar the past few seasons.
Veteran Grant Dilger said Wanderers season depended on giving their captain the supporting cast he deserved.
“We’ll have a pretty similar side to last year, probably looking for a little more consistency from the boys across the board instead of letting one person shift the load,” Dilger said.
“We’re looking to have two or three people contributing every session.
“Ryan Eaton is going to lead us again this year and he’s a very good captain. The boys follow him and with him (in the team) anything is possible.”
Dilger flagged Stephen Clifford as a breakout candidate after a down year by his standards in 2023/24.
Returning players: Ryan Eaton, Stephen Clifford, Joel Tully, Harry Melville, Josh Groves, Mark Little, Grant Dilger, Caleb Giddy, Damien Meek, Tyrone Bethune, Philip Angel, Jack Connor, Taj Petersen, Kahlem Grabowski, Dylan Debenham, Zachary Sillis, Ayman Adiat, Tristan Richards, Matt Schembri
2024/25 recruits: Jamie Heit (Brothers)*
Out: Casee Jeffree (Brothers), Bailey Gould (Brisbane)
Uncertain: Jeremy Harding, Matt Ahern, Vivian Wolfden
SUBURBAN PARKS
Last year: Wooden spoon (3-8 record)
Runs scored: 1676 (2nd)
Wickets taken: 69 (4th)
The seeds have been planted and watered. Now Suburban Parks hopes the difficult lessons of last season can blossom into a premiership-winning season.
The darkest era of Suburban Parks cricket in recent memory appears to be finally drawing to a close after the top order of the batting line-up rediscovered form last season.
The wooden spooners ended the year with the second-most runs scored of any team in the competition and that unit will once again hold the key this summer.
Tom Venitis has retired but the Gartrell brothers, Chris and Dan, plus Heath O’Brien, Christopher Perry and Jarrod Green will all return.
When they all fire, Suburban Parks are as competitive as any side in the competition.
“We’ve pretty much held onto the same team as last year, which was sort of a rebuilding phase,” Dan Gartrell said.
“We’ve put an emphasis around our batting the first couple of weeks of training.
“Last year we struggled to bat the 50 overs week-in week -out, so we’ve got the boys in for a little bit of fitness and hopefully we can bat longer this year.
“Batting the 50 overs will be key. That way we can get off to a good start, hang in there in the middle and finish the innings strong.”
Returning players: Heath O’Brien, Jarrod Green, Christopher Perry, Daniel Gartrell, Christopher Gartrell, Dylan Cordingley, Sam Woodbury, Madhava Vyas, Shaun Green, Navjot Singh, Matthew Vella
2024/25 recruits: Nil
Out: Tom Venitis (retired), Christian Payne (Brisbane), John McLean (retired), Toby Woodbury (Wagga Wagga), Matthew Kennedy (work commitments), Shahrukh Farhan (work commitments), Shahzaib Farhan (Brisbane), Adam Warren (Wagga Wagga), Cameron Arnold (retired)
Uncertain: Luke McLeod, Sean Danaher, Trent Walsh, Clint Thompson
Originally published as Ultimate 2024/25 Townsville Cricket guide: Ins, outs, storylines for each club
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