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Southport Labrador batsman Nic Peterson ready to raise bar despite Sam Loxton Medal win

NEWLY-crowned Sam Loxton Medal winner Nic Peterson will set the bar even higher next season as he prepares to relinquish his coaching role at Southport Labrador.

NEWLY-crowned Sam Loxton Medal winner Nic Peterson will set the bar even higher next season as he prepares to relinquish his coaching role at Southport Labrador.

Peterson became part of history on Thursday night when he joined Rhys McCarthy (Burleigh) and Sam Winton (Queens) in the first three-way tie for the Kookaburra Cup’s player of the season gong.

The 31-year-old overcame a slow start to the season to pile on 690 runs at 46, his third-straight 500-plus run season for Southport Labrador.

After three years as the Tigers’ captain-coach, Peterson will hand the coaching duties to Burleigh recruit Simon Belston next season and said he hoped the lighter workload would result in more runs.

Southport Labrador batsman Nic Peterson. Picture: Mike Batterham
Southport Labrador batsman Nic Peterson. Picture: Mike Batterham

“Obviously I can spend a bit more time on my own game and things I need to work on. That’s the plan for me to spend a bit more time on my game and to take a bit of pressure off,” the Oxenford resident said.

“I’ve only been (at Southport) four years and I’ve been trying to get Simon across the whole time I’ve known him. (The coaching decision) was more family reasons, so it was just step aside to spend a bit more time with them.”

McCarthy finished the season with 704 runs at an average of 35.20, including a crucial 62 in Burleigh’s grand final win over Helensvale Pacific Pines last Saturday, while left-arm quick Winton collected 40 wickets at a remarkable average of 8.80.

Peterson said he was “very privileged” to win his first Loxton Medal.

“It makes it a bit more special to win it with really great cricketers like Rhys and Sam. We all play to win a flag so the individual accolades don’t mean too much, but the Sam Loxton Award is just a prestigious award to win.

“I honestly thought that Rhys would’ve won it outright. Both of them played in a lot more winning sides than I did so it was a bit of a surprise to be up there.”

Among the other winners on the night were Broadbeach Robina veteran Steve Baker as senior representative player of the year.

Jasper Schoenmaker (Burleigh) and Jared Neuhaus (Palm Beach Currumbin) took out the under-21 and under-19 representative awards, respectively.

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/southport-labrador-batsman-nic-peterson-ready-to-raise-bar-despite-sam-loxton-medal-win/news-story/d21f4912201d541280c8bfd505a6106b