LJ Hooker League: Team previews and players to watch in Far North Coast Cricket
From teams looking to defend their title, to others on the hunt for redemption, check out how all sides are shaping up ahead of the LJ Hooker League.
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After close to a seven-month off-season, frontline cricket is set to return to the Northern Rivers with LJ Hooker League scheduled to resume this weekend.
The competition, run by the Far North Coast Cricket Council, will feature 10 teams fighting it out for the title, with two new faces joining the competition for the 2024/25 season.
In a revamped draw, all teams will play nine one-day games and six two-day matches in the 15-round season, with the campaign to kick off with a round of one-dayers this Saturday.
Ahead of the season, we will progressively roll out previews for all 10 sides. Check out how they’re shaping up below.
MARIST BROTHERS
For the first time in 27 years, Marist Brothers will enter the season as defending premiers after the team’s brilliant minor and major premiership campaign in 2023/24.
And while the core of the squad is back on deck to try and defend its title, the Brothers do have a couple of prominent absences, with player of the season Kaleb Auld and English quick Connor Lord not returning for the upcoming season.
“They’re the big outs. We’ve also got a couple of blokes away at the start of the year so there are few changes from the team that won the final last year,” said club coach Craig Hamshaw.
Offsetting the losses is the return of local junior Hamish Weekes and the signing of another English recruit in spin-bowling all-rounder Harry Donelan.
“Obviously the start of the year will be important to us with a few changes from last season but we’re confident that we can be up there during finals time again,” said Hamshaw.
“The club has always been strong in juniors and we’ve got pretty good depth, so we’ve got some good junior kids coming through the system. It’s just a matter of getting the right team on the field.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kevin Warid
After a premiership-winning season in which the team’s bowlers really drove the team to victory, the top-order batter has been putting in the hard yards over the pre-season and is primed for a big one.
“Kev’s been training pretty hard. He didn’t get the runs last year that he’d had in previous years so we’ll be looking for a big season from him,” said Hamshaw.
Joe Parsons
The young gun was a revelation for Marist Brothers last season, grabbing hold of his spot at the top of the order scoring some crucial runs for the team.
“Joe ended up opening for us in the latter half of the year and got regular runs for us,” said Hamshaw. “He’s only a 16-year-old kid, so we’ll be looking at Joe improving again this year.”
Hamish Weekes and Harry Donelan
The pair of all-rounders have made a good impression since joining and rejoining the club respectively during the off-season and will look to offset some of the Marist Brothers’ key losses from last season’s premiership-winning side.
While local junior Weekes is returning to the Brothers after a year off, Donelan arrives in Lismore from Gloucestershire club Thornbury.
“They can both bat and like to play aggressively. Hamish is a left-arm medium-pacer and Harry’s a left-arm spinner, so they could play important roles for us,” said Hamshaw.
TWEED BANORA COLTS
Back in the Hooker League after a one-year hiatus in the second-division Coastal League, the Colts will be looking to shake things up upon their return.
“I think we’ll be extremely competitive in first grade,” said president Mark Wood. “I’ll be disappointed if we don’t finish top four. We’ve got an extremely strong squad. A bit of a mix of some young fellas and older heads.”
While it might seem ambitious to some, in some ways a semi-final performance would be a return to the status quo for the club, who finished fourth in the 2022/23 season but eventually dropped down a division after half a dozen key first graders left the area – and club – for work reasons.
“Luckily we’ve got three or four of our players back. We’ve also got an English import who we picked up from the airport (on Monday), so he’ll make his first grade debut for us this week,” Wood.
The new recruit is young English batsman Charlie McPhail, who is likely to bat in the middle order and joins the club from the North East Premier League.
“He’ll be a real good addition for us,” said Wood. “We’re looking forward to him joining the club.”
Meanwhile returning players include top-order run machine Tom Burns, Mitch Boyd and Michael Gardner.
“Our top four or five are obviously quality bats, so I’d be really disappointed if we don’t make the top four,” said Wood. “Hopefully we can start with a win this week against Alstonville.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tom Burns
Back at the Colts after a season at Murwillumbah, Burns is a quality top-order batter who the team will look towards for runs throughout the season.
“He would be one of the better batsmen in the Hooker competition,” said Wood. “He’ll bat at four, he also bowls and he’s outstanding in the field.”
Sam Powell
The key to the top of the order, the opening batter is a very clean hitter of the ball and will play a key role in getting the side off to a strong start with the bat.
A North Coastal representative player, Powell peeled off a couple of tins last season and will be out to continue his form in the upcoming campaign.
Lewis Koppel
The 21-year-old emerging fast bowler will take the new ball and lead the line for the Colts in the hope of making early inroads through opposition top orders.
“He probably one of the quickest in the comp. He’s just getting better and better and I think he’ll have a cracking year,” said Wood.
POTTSVILLE
Pottsville will be another club taking a fairly young side into the competition this year as the Pelicans look to improve on last season’s sixth-place finish that saw them miss out on the finals.
“It’s a different vibe this year. We’ve lost a lot of players of the last couple of seasons and we’ve got some young players coming through, so it’s all about teaching them and making sure they enjoy it,” said captain Jamie Tripp.
“We’ve got a few that we’re hoping can make the step up this year and become proper first grade cricketers. There’s a lot of potential there.”
While having young players can often be a lottery in terms of performances and consistency, Tripp is confident that the team can make a charge up the ladder if it gets things right.
“We’ve been in the finals before and we’re definitely keen to make it happen again. We’ve got enough good players to do that, we’ve just got to stand up and play some good cricket,” he said.
“We’ve got a pretty decent all-round side. We have batsmen who like to bat for as long as they can, so we just try and set up for the bash at the end. We’ve got a few guys who can go for it down the order.”
Much of the team’s success could also rely on the availability of former Gold Coast Dolphins quick Michael Granger, who has returned to Pottsville after spending the last few seasons in Ireland.
While work commitments could restrict his performances in the first half of the season, he is expected to be fully on deck in the new year.
“He’s already been charging in at training and has been trying to hurt a few people – it’s been good to watch,” said Tripp.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jamie Tripp
Batting in the top order, the skipper’s performances with the bat could well be a major factor in the success of the Pelicans’ season.
“I always want to score a hundred or two, that’s always one of the big goals,” said Tripp. “Becoming an older head now, I want to try and bat as long as I can just to help steer these kids around.”
Mitchell Tripp
The captain’s brother is another key man in the top order tasked with getting the side off to a good start.
“He scores pretty quickly and can be pretty hard to bowl to a lot of the time,” said Tripp. “He’s just coming back from a shoulder injury and he’s been hitting the ball really well at training, so he’ll be one to watch.”
Kagisho Pedi
Likely to come in at number three, the South Africans has a solid technique and the ability to occupy the crease for long periods of time.
“He just accumulates runs, bats as long as he can and is very hard to get out,” said Tripp.
LENNOX HEAD PIRATES
The last few months have been quite the rollercoaster for the Pirates, who have rejoined the top grade of cricket in the Northern Rivers after taking out last season’s minor and major premiership in the Coastal League.
While buoyed by its excellent win, the club has hit by the loss of some key players which, along with some temporary absences, has left the side slightly stretched for numbers heading into round one.
“We’re probably a little bit thinner than what we were expecting but we’ll make it work,” said club coach Andrew Lindsay.
“From my point of view, it’s what we should always be trying to do, play as high as we can and get the young guys playing as high as we can, so I think it was the right decision to go back into first grade, even though we are a bit understrength.”
And although the Pirates were the standouts in second grade last season, the loss of players has forced the club to adjust its expectations in its return to the Hooker League.
“I think if we finish in the middle we’d be happy. It’s definitely gonna be tough for us but we’re gonna be alright,” said Lindsay.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nick Asser
The skipper will likely bat at three or four and is a key man for the Pirates as they look to make the step up this season.
“He scored quite a few runs in second grade last year so hopefully he’ll be able to carry that on into first grade this year,” said Lindsay. “He’s going to be one of our best batsmen.”
Blake Kernaghan
A quality paceman, Kernaghan was a star for Lennox last year, remarkably taking 11 wickets in the finals series, and will be one of the team’s spearheads as it looks to make early inroads with the ball.
Peter Johnston
A crafty all-rounder, Johnston will be looked upon as a key source of both runs and wickets with his left-arm orthodox tweakers.
CUDGEN
One of the traditional heavyweights of North Coast cricket, Cudgen once again has its eye on the big prize as the Hornets look to go one better after falling in last season’s grand final.
Despite being back-to-back grand finalists, having won last year’s T20 competition and taking out a string of GFs before that, Cudgen has been in somewhat of a rebuilding phase after experiencing a mass turnover of players over the past four years.
“It’s been a bit of a transition period but we’ve still been successful through that,” said Cudgen captain Alec Williams.
“It’s just mainly down to the young talent that keeps coming through. We’ve got a couple of old heads in the team in myself and Jamie Wilson, but other than that we’re a young side and are always bringing in young talent.”
However with the likes of Williams, the North Coastal rep captain and runscoring machine in the side, and the return of quality cricketers in star batsman Tait Burns and dangerous quick Connor Ziebell, the Hornets are aiming high ahead of the upcoming season.
Cudgen opens its season with what could be a slice of history, with the Hornets to host Lennox Head this Saturday in what is expected to be the first day-night regular season game in the competition.
“I batted in the nets under our net lights, which are the same quality, and picking up the ball was quite easy – it was just like daytime with the red ball,” said Williams. “I think anything we can do to try and get people to watch cricket is great.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
James Julius
One of the premier fast bowlers in Northern Rivers cricket for the past 13 or 14 years, Julius still has the quality to terrorise opposition top orders and has been a huge reason behind Cudgen’s success over the past decade.
“If you’ve got a bowler who can bowl 20 overs a day from one end in two-day cricket, take four or five wickets on average per innings, it makes a huge difference,” said Williams. “He’s one of the main reason why we’ve been so competitive.”
Harry Kershler
From a veteran to a young rising star, the left-arm leg-spinner is a North Coastal and NSW Country representative who has come on in leaps and bounds in the last couple of years.
Still only 17, young Harry is in some respects taking the reins from his father Anthony, a former NSW left-arm orthodox tweaker who only finished playing two years ago.
“It’s definitely a bit of a changing of the guard with Harry and his dad,” said Williams.
“He’s been getting better and better every year. I think as a spinner he’s learning a lot and he’s been playing a lot of cricket down south and training with Manly in Sydney, so he’s got a lot of top-level training under his belt this year and we’re expecting him to be one of the better bowlers and probably our lead spinner.
Tait Burns
A name that needs no introduction to North Coast cricket fans and followers, Burns returns to cricket and the Hornets after some time away from the game.
A supremely talented batter who can take the game away from opponents in a session, Burns is likely to bat at three and will bolster Cudgen’s already strong top order.
“He’s been one of the best bats in the competition for 10-15 years now,” said Williams. “He’s come back to Cudgen and we’re really pleased to have him back because he’s probably in the top two or three bats in the comp.”
ALSTONVILLE & DISTRICT
Alstonville missed the finals last summer after coming unstuck in a couple of close contests, but captain Kyle Yager is optimistic of turning the tide in the season ahead.
“Our squad is essentially the same as last year,” said Yager.
“We lost two of our older guys, but we’re bringing through our juniors and there is plenty of talent on the rise. They boost the energy at training and the rep boys bring plenty of confidence.
“We want to be challenging for the top half of the competition. But there is a lot riding on the season given the bottom two sides will be relegated to second grade.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kyle Yager
A key piece in the Alstonville puzzle, the skipper can be relied upon to churn out big runs. Last summer was one to remember for the right-hander, who scored more than 500 runs across both formats.
Terry Murphy
At 41, the veteran has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. A mainstay with the new ball, the paceman shows no signs of slowing down and last season topped the list for wickets in the two-day format.
Lachlan Barnes
One of a host of young stars on the rise, Lachlan Barnes bowls rapid pace and is known to hit a long ball.
Still a teenager, the ambitious all-rounder has represented NSW Country in the under-17s age group and is one of the club’s brightest prospects.
Will Barnes
The older brother of Lachlan, Will is a slippery right-armer. Only 19 himself, he’ll be out to better last season’s haul that saw him finish third on the wicket takers’ list after the regular rounds.
MURWILLUMBAH
Despite finishing in eighth spot last season, Murwillumbah is confident of raising the bar in 2024-25. Several narrow defeats didn’t help, but with a similar squad and the possibility of a couple of late additions, the team believes it has a real chance of finishing in the top half of the table.
“We are definitely looking to climb the ladder,” said club president Adam Housen.
“With the prospect of relegation and promotion next season, we are eager to finish above the middle of the table.
“There’s some exciting talent stepping up from the juniors. Our aim is to blood several in second grade and, all going well, we’re hopeful some will get a chance in the top grade.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jaxon Miller
The teenage quick is one to keep an eye on this season. He was a solid performer in first grade last year with his dangerous outswing and is expected to return with an extra yard of pace.
Evan Litchfield
A rock in Murwillumbah’s top order. Solid and dependable, the right-hander can graft out a long innings and is often the backbone of the side’s batting.
Vinnie Quigley
A player that certainly doesn’t need to be asked twice. If the ball is there to be hit, the aggressive right-hander doesn’t muck about.
He only managed limited appearances last summer and, if available, his long term presence could well shape the team’s season.
GOONELLABAH WORKERS SPORTS
With a couple of senior players having moved on in the off-season, Goonellabah will be looking towards youth as it looks to once again play finals cricket in 2024/25.
“We’ve got the majority of players back but we’re missing a few, so that’s given an opportunity to a couple of young guys, which is pretty exciting,” said head coach Graham Armstrong.
“We like to develop guys right through. We’ve lost a couple of senior guys so we’ll fill that with the younger fellas.”
And while the team only lost one game in the 2023/24 regular season to finish second before ultimately being bundled out in the semis, Armstrong is waiting to see how things start before outlining any ambitious goals.
“It’s about getting into the season before we set our plans too high. Of course we’d like to be playing finals again this year, but for us it’s about getting off to the right start and gaining momentum from there.”
In terms of strengths, the coach is hoping his team’s energy and quality with the ball gives it an edge over some of its opponents.
“It’s just about everyone playing their role for us, and if everyone plays their role then we’ll be successful,” said Armstrong. “If I had to pinpoint something, our bowling and fielding keeps our stability sound.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brady Toniello
With Toniello taking over as skipper this season, Armstrong expects the extra responsibility to be a positive for his captain.
“I think that’s really going to cement his cricket as a player,” said the coach. “He’s an explosive batsman but I think this year we’ll see a different side to him as our skipper.”
Damian Santin
Give him the ball, push him further up the order – there really isn’t much that the star all-rounder can do, with Santin bringing plenty of X-factor to the Goonellabah side.
“He can do anything, really: he can bat, he can bowl and can take the game away from anyone with either the bat or ball,” said Armstrong. “He plays the game in such a fantastic spirit. He has such a relaxed attitude but can take the game from anybody at any time.”
Kaleb Armstrong
Set to bat at three in both formats this season, the young gun will play a key role in the batting line-up this season.
“He’ll be looking to hold that top order together and get us away to good starts,” said Armstrong.
Kale Hare
Goonellabah’s go-to man for just about any situation, Hare is one of those rare batters who can help stabilise an innings and shift through the gears if the team needs it.
“He can hold us together if he needs to but can also flick the switch and be really explosive for us,” said Armstrong.
“He runs hard between the wickets, he’ll drag the other batsmen along. He’s a guy we can put into the middle order and he’ll play a role for us depending on whatever we need at that particular point in time.”
TINTENBAR-EAST BALLINA
While missing last year’s finals still has a sting in the tail for Tintenbar-East Ballina, a fresh and revitalised group is ready to move on and make amends this time around.
Captain Abe Crawford believes his side can overcome player departures with some familiar faces returning to the fold.
“We’re looking pretty good. We’ve lost a few players who have moved up the coast but have welcomed some new fellas that are stepping up,” he said.
“We also have some older players who haven’t played for a while who are keen to come back.”
After a hot start they dropped their final three matches of the season to finish fifth and narrowly miss a spot in the finals.
Crawford said youth will help, as will the want to send out some of their favourites on a winning note.
“To have those losses at the end of the season and miss out was disappointing. Especially after such a good start,” he said.
“We’ve thrown up a bit more of a younger team than we have for the past decade and we’re looking forward to starting the season well in the one-day comp.
“(Last season’s result) is a big driver for us. We have a couple of guys entering their last season and they want to have a big year.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ross Yelseth
A wicketkeeper-batsman, Yelseth is coming off a strong season and his ability to occupy the crease will prove crucial.
“He showed what he can do with the bat last year,” Crawford said. “It will be good to watch him when he gets to the two-day comp. He’s a Michael Hussey-type of batsman.”
Kai Dalli
At just 16 years of age Dalli will be one of the youngest players in the competition, but the all-rounder adds plenty as a first change medium-pace bowler and middle-order bat.
“Kai is coming back from a shoulder injury so will be ready to bowl at full strength,” Crawford said. “He’s very handy in the middle order as well and is progressing with each year.”
Abe Gibson
The left-arm spinner has an incredible ability to tie up an end and the endurance he has will help Tintenbar-East Ballina to defend their runs.
“Abe moved up a couple of years ago from Newcastle and is one of our main bowlers,” Crawford said. “He can bowl over 20 overs a game and loves getting into the batsmen.”
CASINO RSM CAVALIERS
There are positive vibes in Casino as the Cavaliers look to build on their semi-final appearance last year and challenge for the title.
While the core of the side has remained the same, the team has been bolstered by the addition of former under-18 NSW Country indoor cricketers Mitch Duddy and Khan Johnson from Glen Innes.
Elsewhere, the bulk of the youthful squad, described by president and first grader Corey Latta as the “youngest in the comp”, is only expected to get better after another year of first grade cricket under their belts.
“I’m the oldest at 33, the captain’s 26 and besides that I don’t think anyone else is older than 24,” he said.
That’s not where the good news ends. Player numbers for the Cavaliers have jumped from 15 to 26, while an agreement with the Casino Cricket Club, which plays in the lower grades, has meant that any talented CCC players now have the chance of playing Hooker League.
“We’ve also got some of their players who might be looking to break into the first grade team as well,” said Latta. “So strength-wise, I think we’re in a lot better position this season. I reckon we’re a real good chance of taking the comp out, but semi-finals is our expectation.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Damien Vidler
The skipper is an absolute gun with the bat who finished last season as the second-highest runscorer in the competition and will be out to continue his form in 2024/25.
“He was unbelievable for us last year and I’d say he’s one of the top-two batters in the comp,” said Latta.
Jordan Williams
Returning after spending some time with Valley District in the Brisbane competition, Williams is likely to take the new ball and will bolster the Cavaliers’ bowling stocks.
“He’d be in the top couple for pace in the comp. He just puts it on the spot and is sharp enough to worry a few batters,” said Latta.
Oliver Walker
From opening the bowling to batting at number three, the young all-rounder – who has come through the North Coastal and NSW Country rep systems – can just about do it all and looms as a crucial player for Casino.
“Generally you can say if someone’s a better bowler or better batter, but I honestly couldn’t tell you with Olly,” said Latta.
“Because he’s only young he’s starting to fill out a bit more and he’s picked up another yard of pace. He’s developed really well and he’s batting has also come along a fair bit from last season.”
Originally published as LJ Hooker League: Team previews and players to watch in Far North Coast Cricket
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