Fallout from GCA’s restructure continues as one captain declares it’s ‘going to kill clubs’
A cricket captain has been left ‘gobsmacked’ with the GCA’s decision to move turf and hard-wicket teams into the same competition – a decision he believes will ‘kill clubs’.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Newcomb & District captain Andrew Webb says he is “gobsmacked” by the GCA’s decision to mix hard and turf wicket clubs in the newly-created GCA4 and believes the decision is “going to kill clubs”.
Fallout surrounding the GCA’s announcement of its restructured competitions continues to impact teams as more club officials voice their disapproval with the process.
10 clubs were told on Tuesday night they would be moved down a division to allow for the GCA4 to be formed, with on-field performance and facility assessments the criteria for surviving the drop.
Newcomb & District was one of several clubs bumped down a division, from GCA3 to the fourth tier.
“I’m gobsmacked by it all, everyone is trying to recover from Covid, then they come and smack us with this s--t,” he said.
“They’ve brought hard-wicket clubs into the turf competition which doesn’t suit anyone but the hard-wicket clubs.
“We’ll play on it three times a year, but they’re playing half a season on turf and can adjust to it quickly, but I haven’t played on hard wickets since I was 16 and there’ll be a lot of players in the same boat.
“I don’t know of any competition that has a mixture of surfaces, anywhere in Australia, and what’s going to happen if a GCA4 hard-wicket team wins back-to-back flags, are they going to play in GCA2?”
The impact of Covid also meant the season was reduced to solely one-day cricket, with the 85-over matches excluded from the competition.
Webb said some teams benefited greatly from the absence of red-ball cricket.
“I’m not saying we had the greatest two seasons, but we felt like we were a bit hard done by because we’re a much better two-day team than a one-day team,” he said.
“Our players craft an innings rather than going bananas like some of the other clubs and I feel it is harsh to make a big call like this without proper two-day cricket.
“Some of these teams will get found out in the longer form, because they can’t just smack it around with little consequence.”
‘NICE SURPRISE’ FOR HIGHTON IN GCA1 LIFELINE
Highton coach Andrew Murden says it was “a nice surprise” getting the news that he would lead his new side into the GCA1 next season.
Announced as coach in late March, Murden was planning for a season in GCA2 until the GCA’s announcement was made regarding the reshuffle of the competition and placement of clubs last week.
“Very happy with it,” Murden said.
“Last time we spoke, I was planning for (division) 2 but (said) it’d be a nice surprise if we landed in (division) 1, which has happened.
“(It) creates a real good challenge for the group and myself, and that’s what you want, so excited about it.”
Despite finishing last on the GCA1 ladder this past season, Highton retained its spot in the top division alongside East Belmont, Grovedale, Lara, Newtown & Chilwell, North Geelong, South Barwon and St Joseph’s.
Bell Post Hill and Murgheboluc were relegated to GCA2.
Murden said the announcement would help his side with recruiting during the off-season.
“Obviously we started working on the recruiting side of things prior to knowing we were in division 1 and it is a little bit difficult trying to recruit when you’re basically thinking that you’re going to get relegated,” he said.
“Knowing that we’re in (division) 1 and obviously the competition’s down to eight teams, so it’s a pretty high standard competition, it definitely makes it a lot more appealing, I think, for guys to come across.”
Coming off ninth and 10th-placed finishes the past two GCA1 seasons, Murden said the group was excited for the challenge ahead.
“Everyone’s pretty excited about it … everyone seems to be up for the challenge,” he said.
“I think the club is a strong enough club. We’re a young group cricket-wise. I suppose it’s just a bit of self-belief now and working hard and trusting that you’ve got the ability to match it with them.
“At the end of the day, it’s still local cricket. Obviously we know it’s going to be tough, but at some stage these guys have got to step up and be the man.”
BELL PARK ‘P---ED OFF’ WITH RESTRUCTURE
A Geelong cricket club has been left “totally disappointed and p---ed off” with the GCA after being informed it would be moved down a division in 2022-23.
Bell Park was told it would ply its trade in the GCA3 division after the league restructured to introduce a fourth division next season, with the movement based on performances across the past two seasons.
Dragons president Rodney Brown said the club was seething, with “no consideration” made for the club’s premiership in 2017-18.
“We’ve recruited to be strong and contend in division two, we want to be back up in finals and be at the top of the division, so to move us down to division three makes a mockery of it,” he said.
“Our understanding from our communication with the GCA was that the movement would be based on a two-year average, but with a consideration into the previous two or three years before that.
“Considering our success over that period the GCA has clearly only based it on the last two years, because we were very strong in that period.
“I think they’ve taken an easy option, I’m not sure what it’s going to achieve dropping us to division three.”
Bell Park signed star batter Ben Grinter from Jan Juc, while former Newtown & Chilwell coach Shane Murdoch and Murgheboluc bowler Jake Brown were recruited to be the senior and assistant coach in the 2022-23 season.
Brown said the Dragons’ facilities at Hamlyn Park was at a GCA2 level.
“Strategically our facilities and training facilities are equivalent to division two standard, not many clubs have this level,” he said.
“We believe it’s the wrong decision and we’re a superior club to the teams that have stayed in division two in many ways.
GCA president Rob Vines said the movement of teams was for the good of the competition.
“This isn’t a normal promotion and relegation year, this is a strategic repositioning of clubs in a new structure,” he said.
“It’s a one-off exercise that we’ve done, off the back of a lot of planning work over the last 12-to-18 months.
“Some clubs have been repositioned down, but each of the competitions are now stronger than it was before.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Fallout from GCA’s restructure continues as one captain declares it’s ‘going to kill clubs’
Kardinia Park green top under scrutiny
Returning from a stint with the Aussie Test squad, Melbourne Renegades young gun Ollie Peake was greeted to a pitch that paled in comparison to those in Sri Lanka.
SuperCoach alert: Hyped breakout contender hunting prime role
A blond midfielder has been the clear standout on the track at the Cattery -— and it isn’t Bailey Smith. The youngster details the hard work behind his bumper pre-season and his opening round hopes.