VSDCA: New Box Hill coach reveals plans for 2021-22 season

An exciting, young core of players is one of many reasons the new Box Hill coach is bullish about his club’s fortunes for 2021-22.

Leading Box Hill bowler Sam Kimber is among an exciting young list at the club. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Incoming Box Hill coach Simon Cornelius says the foundations are in place to springboard the club further in season 2021-22.

Cornelius was recently unveiled as the Mustangs’ new mentor and believes the youth blooded last season has set the platform to build on in his first senior coaching gig. The club made the finals but were eliminated in the opening week at the hands of Oakleigh.

“There were six or seven debutants in the ones (in season 2020-21), and they were predicted to finish fairly low, but to come out and make finals, in a strong group – some of those south teams are fairly strong – I think that’s a real positive,” Cornelius said.

“I’ve done a bit of a ring-around to speak to as many as I can, and they’re all keen and eager to build on that.”

New Box Hill coach Simon Cornelius says the foundations are in place.

Cornelius brings top-flight experience having played the past three seasons with the Greenvale Kangaroos, where he served as the club’s Second XI captain, after 100 appearances for Ringwood District association outfit, St. Andrews. He also played four seasons with Yarraville in the Subbies’ North-West group.

An existing connection with outgoing coach Richard Armstrong through St Andrews helped attract Cornelius to the role, where he also cited the emerging talent on the list as a major drawcard.

Batsman Kyle Rayner, medium-pacer Campbell Gerney, left-handed bat Jack McLaren and bowler Moiz Khan were among those to have their first taste of First XI cricket last season, and the incoming coach said the experience would help drive improvement.

Kyle Rayner batting for Box Hill. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“I think the improvement will come from these younger blokes that have now got a bit of a taste for it (First XI cricket),” Cornelius said.

“There’s that side of it, and there’s a real eagerness for them to go further and not be the best of the rest. It can only drive the guys to go that little bit further.”

Cornelius pointed to bowler Sam Kimber, who took 28 wickets in 2020-21 in a breakout season which earned the young gun Team of the Year selection.

“I had a good chat to Sam – he’s a really great example,” Cornelius said.

“One of the younger guys that came across the year before he played one or two First XI games, and he said to me that the chance to play a full year (in 2020-21) of ones cricket gave him the impetus to improve and play well.”

Recruiting is on the radar for the new coach, while captain Ryan Webster is “pretty much locked away” for next season. But Cornelius said a top-order bat is on his wishlist to ease the pressure on the skipper.

“There’s the potential for some of the guys that took a season off that have indicated they’d like to come back, so there’s some experience in that,” Cornelius said.

“I’m keen to get a few of those guys back to strengthen what was a pretty young and decent side already – to make finals should give the guys a bit of a sniff and eagerness to go onto bigger and better things.”