Premier Cricket: Shaun Petrie assumes presidency of Premier club Casey South Melbourne

The former president of Cranbourne has stepped into the same role at the Swans, determined to “give the big clubs in the city a shake’’.

New Casey South Melbourne Cricket Club president Shaun Petrie. Picture: Valeriu Campan

As presidents of cricket clubs that are the closest neighbours at Casey Fields, Ross Hibbins and Shaun Petrie spoke often.

More than once Hibbins, of Casey South Melbourne, asked Petrie, of Cranbourne, “When are you going to come across and take over from me?’’

Petrie laughed it off. He had “zero interest’’, he said.

But when Hibbins became ill with cancer last year and it was clear the Swans would need a new president, the question was asked again.

Petrie’s circumstances had changed. He had stepped away from the Cranbourne club, his job was going well and, without ever feeling he had spare time, he could fit it in.

Hibbins died on April 27, aged 55.

With the support of many people, Petrie has taken over from the Swans stalwart, grateful he had Hibbins’s blessing to do so.

“Yeah, we used to have a lot of meetings, just talking about how we could get along and how we could make things work for both of us,’’ Petrie said.

“Ross used to say to me could I come and do Casey South Melbourne after I was finished at Cranbourne. He said he couldn’t do it forever. But it was the last thing on my mind because I never played Premier Cricket and I figured it would be something that would be well beyond me.

“But last year when we heard he was crook I caught up with him and we talked about stuff.

Shaun Petrie had a long association with Cranbourne before joining the Swans.

“Everyone was hoping he would come good but as he got worse guys like Craig (Lambden, the Swans’ director of cricket) reached out and said they’d need help to hold the place together. Ross was more than happy for it to happen. He endorsed it.’’

Petrie is a life member of Cranbourne and had served as junior vice-president and vice-president before becoming president. His five years at the top took in the stunning Turf 1 grand final win over Springvale South.

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His cricket began at Doveton North, and he had stints at Old Mentonians and Endeavour Hills.

After his family moved to Cranbourne he decided to play locally, keen to bat on the old racecourse wicket. He thought it was “a road’’ — and one day in the seconds he spent five hours on it making a century against St Mary’s.

Petrie said he knew quite a few Casey South Melbourne players, often dropped in to watch them, was taken by the standard of the cricket and “got the bug’’.

The late Ross Hibbins.

He believes he has taken over the Swans at a good time. Thanks to the off-field work of Hibbins, Ross Moore and stalwart “Squizzy’’ Taylor, the club is financially stable, and the return of Brian Keogh as senior coach has stoked enthusiasm generated last season by heavy scoring English batsman Luke Wells. The left-hander is coming back for 2019-20.

In another lifter, former senior coach Brett Lewis will take up a role on the coaching panel.

Petrie said that ahead of the AGM people were queuing up to join the committee.

“I’ve had offers and offers and offers, which is bloody amazing,’’ he said.

He said the death of Hibbins had “galvanised’’ the club.

Petrie said he wanted the Swans to establish stronger ties with local clubs and multicultural groups, increase the supporter base and revamp the Damien Fleming Academy for young players.

“We want to give the big clubs in the city a shake,’’ he said.

“We’re in Cranbourne, we’re in the outer suburbs, we’ve got to be a working-class club, because that’s where we are.’’