Premier Cricket 2023-24: Greenvale’s Darcy Bell joins list of additions at Fitzroy Doncaster

It’s been an off-season of change for Fitzroy Doncaster, with the new coach bullish its recruits can help the club rebound in 2023-24. Here’s why.

It’s been an off-season of change at Fitzroy Doncaster – but incoming coach Matt Bremner is confident his recent additions can help the club bridge the gap on its rivals.

The Lions missed the finals last season but have recently welcomed former Camberwell Magpies quick Matt Whittaker, following a captain-coaching stint with Montrose in the RDCA which included a top-flight grand final in 2020-21.

He topped the bowling at Premier level in 2016-17, culminating in a Team of the Year selection, and took 18 wickets at 22.89 last season for Montrose – including a best of 5-79.

Whittaker will serve as a senior playing-assistant and Bremner says he could pop up in the firsts or seconds, bullish the former Magpie’s leadership will prove invaluable in the club’s pursuit to bounce back.

Whittaker during his stint with Camberwell Magpies. Picture: Hamish Blair

“’Whiz’ is very similar to the way we think about our cricket – he’s a really competitive person and wants to get the most out of his coaching,” Bremner said.

“He wants to take his coaching to the next level and he’s pretty hard-nosed which is similar to myself, and he’ll demand high expectations from the playing group.

“I think it’s really important that our young players at the club have some on-field leadership from our coaching staff which ‘Whiz’ will give us plenty of.”

Also bolstering the bowling attack is left-armer Darcy Bell, crossing from rival Greenvale.

He follows the earlier signings of batsman Zac Elliott (Clarence, Tasmania) and paceman Sean McNicholl (Greenvale).

Bell’s top-flight career has been highlighted by a 6-22 haul against Northcote in the 2020-21 season – taking 21 wickets at 19.6 that campaign.

He split his time between the first and second grades in 2022-23, taking five wickets in the First XI from eight appearances for a best of 3-26 against Richmond.

“We’ve definitely strengthened up our bowling stocks so we’re looking pretty good,” Bremner said.

Bremner featured in Fitzroy Doncaster’s First XI flag in 2015-16 and takes over from coaching-great Mick O’Sullivan.

Despite past glories, the former opening batsman declared he’ll be “treated as any other player on the list when it comes to selection.”

“I’ll be starting off in the Second XI and captaining the twos, but I’ve made it known that if my form warrants playing Third XI, I’ll play Third XI, but if it warrants me playing First XI then I’ll play First XI cricket,” Bremner said.

Meanwhile, former Preston mentor Alex Lewis takes over as the Lions’ academy and development coach, having previously headed up Preston’s academy for more than a decade.

“He’s the perfect person to head up our academy … he’s a ‘doer’,” Bremner said.

There’s no mistaking the expectations for the incoming coach, who says the host of recruits should have the Lions in the finals hunt after finishing 10th with a 7-1-7 record last season.

“We should be playing finals,” Bremner said.

“With what we’ve brought in, in terms of Zac, myself, McNicholl, Darcy Bell and hopefully some other recruits, we should be pushing top-eight at the bare minimum.”