Cricket Far North: Rovers and Toads seek redemption

Rovers and Mulgrave will enter this weekend’s Cricket Far North first-grade grand final with a point to prove as both clubs look to redeem heartbreaking 2019-20 campaigns and return to the top.

Rovers and Mulgrave will enter this weekend’s Cricket Far North first-grade grand final with a point to prove as both clubs look to redeem heartbreaking 2019-20 campaigns and return to the top.

The Green Machine will take on the Toads at Griffiths Park from 10am this Saturday, with both sides to take plenty of motivation into the 50-over contest.

Rovers vice-captain Josh Chadwick said the players had made it their mission to return to the decider after they were defeated by Atherton in both the one-day and two-day grand finals in heartbreaking fashion in 2019-20.

“We lost two grand finals last year and we’ve pretty much got the same group of players this year, so there was big motivation to try and get back to the grand final and go one better,” he said.

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He said a premiership would have added significance this season, with the club celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2021.

“It’d be a big achievement if we could take the win,” Chadwick said.

“It’s our 125th anniversary and we had some big celebrations at the start of the season.

“We’ve got our ones, twos, and threes all in the grand final this weekend so, not only for us but for the rest of the club, hopefully we can take the win and pick up a couple of trophies this year.”

Rovers have been the summer’s most consistent side, dropping just three of their 15 regular-season games, while Mulgrave has been the biggest improver, turning one of the competition’s youngest sides into a premiership contender.

But while Rovers looked the more experienced side on paper, Chadwick said they couldn’t be complacent.

“Their young kids have played a lot of cricket this year and they’ve blooded them really well, so we’re expecting their kids to be just as on this weekend as their experienced players,” he said.

“We’ll have to really be on them from one to 11.”

Mulgrave's Max Davies-Griffith sends the ball down to Rovers captain Brenton Edwards in the Cricket Far North match between Mulgrave and Rovers, held at Walker Road Sporting Precinct, Edmonton. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

Mulgrave spearhead Wade Matthews said his side was eager to return to the top after an uncharacteristic 2019-20 campaign.

“We missed out last year, we didn’t make the finals, so it would be good to come back and prove that we can still do it and be up there,” he said.

The Toads have dominated the Cricket Far North competition over the past decade, winning five premierships in eight consecutive grand final appearances from 2011-12 to 2018-19.

The club slumped to its worst season in recent memory last summer, finishing second-last on both the one-day and two-day ladders, but has returned to be one of the top sides, finishing the regular season in second.

Matthews said the team had come a long way over the summer, particular its rising stars including Matthew Wilkins, Max Davies-Griffith, Kai Stuchbery, Shaun Henrich, Aidan Beach and Brody Zanetich, who has been named to make his first-grade debut in the decider.

“The younger fellas have really stepped up and taken it upon themselves to fill some of the positions we’ve lost players from in previous years,” he said. “They’ve shown that they can do it at the top level, they’ve just got to back it up on the weekend like we know they can.”

Rovers have gone 3-0 in previous matches against Mulgrave this season.

CRICKET FAR NORTH FIRST-GRADE GRAND FINAL

Rovers v Mulgrave, 10am Saturday at Griffiths Park.

Rovers: Brenton Edwards (c), Thomas Lever, Nathan Crane, Aaron Lock, Joel Sykes, Stuart Prest, Ryan Terry (wk), Josh Chadwick, Finn Churchward, Bobby Brix, Brodie Deverell.

Mulgrave: Justin Reid (c, wk), Matthew Wilkins, John Stampa, Brody Zanetich, Jake Roach, Wade Matthews, Will Robertson, Blake Raper, Max Davies-Griffith, Kai Stuchbery, Shaun Henrich, Ryan Etherington.

Originally published as Cricket Far North: Rovers and Toads seek redemption