Young Mudgeeraba Nerang side looking at bigger picture in Cricket Gold Coast’s Kookaburra Cup

MUDGEERABA Nerang are looking at the bigger picture as their young squad adapts to life in Cricket Gold Coast’s first grade.

MUDGEERABA Nerang are looking at the bigger picture as their young squad adapts to life in Cricket Gold Coast’s first grade.

Having lost the likes of Josh Nelson, Mitch Daly and Kevin Chapman to the Gold Coast Dolphins in recent seasons, the Bushmen have opened the 2018-19 Kookaburra Cup campaign with one five in five games to sit bottom of the ladder.

DOLPHINS KEEPER KEEN TO RECLAIM GLOVES

But speaking ahead of today’s bottom-of-the-table encounter away to Helensvale, captain-coach Cam Garnham said they were keeping things firmly in perspective.

“We’re not too stressed about our results this year,” Garnham said following a bye for his side last week.

Mudgeeraba captain-coach Cameron Garnham.

“We have lost a lot of experience down there (to the Dolphins) and at the end of the day that’s what our club is about. If we’re providing the facilities and coaching to be the best player they can be, then we’re doing our job.

COAST BBL EXPANSION TALK A ‘NO-BRAINER’

“Whether we’re winning or losing first grade games is of no consequence. We’ve got three guys who are still in high school and the average age is about 20.

“We have got a really good junior base with 16 or 17 junior teams and 35 to 40 rep players. Our junior program is going in the right direction and that will end up providing us first grade players.

“It will eventually come full circle where once the guys at the Dolphins have tested themselves in Brisbane, they will come back to Mudgeeraba and our next bunch of 21-year-olds will go on to the Dolphins. The more games we can get into these guys, the better they’re going to be for the years coming.”

THE BIG Q&A WITH BILLY STANLAKE

Elsewhere today, unbeaten Burleigh travel to Alberton Ormeau, Queens host Broadbeach Robina, Runaway Bay meet Palm Beach Currumbin at Sam Loxton Oval, and Southport Labrador make the trip to Coomera Hope Island.