Jack Sing medallist Dan Blatherwick departs Lara Cricket Club for St Albans

The departure of the GCA’s best player from last summer has highlighted a raft of movement across the region ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Torquay Cricket Club has signed St Bernard's stalwart Tristan Kassis. Picture: Torquay Cricket Club.

Cricket season is almost upon us and already there’s been a wealth of player movement across the region.

In GCA2, arguably the biggest departure of the off-season was reigning Jack Sing medallist Dan Blatherwick leaving Lara for St Albans in the VTCA as the Cats are relegated from the association’s top tier.

Meanwhile, in GCA3, Thomson has recruited a bunch of players from St Albans Breakwater, including Zac Smith as coach.

Smith replaces Brett Anderton at the top while Adam Bliss has stepped down as captain after the Tigers lost last summer’s grand final by nine wickets to Bell Park.

The Dragons, who are promoted to GCA2, will be coached by Anthony Jackson after Jake Brown took on an assistant role at Geelong.

The Supersaints saw eight senior players seek clearances during the off-season as they were relegated to GCA4.

And in GCA4, Drysdale premiership player Andrew Spengler has shifted to Little River as assistant coach in a very handy up pick up for the Redbacks.

Spengler won five senior BPCA flags, numerous batting trophies and a former player of the year winner.

See all the ins and outs in the Geelong Cricket Association

GCA2

Torquay

INS:

Jackson Attwood (returning), Andrew Wedge, Tristan Kassis, Dave Handley, Ollie Cameron (City United), Scott Clapton, Elese French, Chloe Egan, Hannah Buur

OUTS:

Leigh Kentish, Jack Sullivan, Adam Trees, Mary Virajani, Emmerson Hawkins

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coach and captain: Damian O’Brien

Women’s senior coach: John Fisher

Women’s senior captain: Andriana Oliver

Damien O'Brien will coach Torquay this season.

Bell Post Hill

INS:

Kris Spender, Will Iles, Tim Horan,

OUTS:

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coach: Ben Muir

Women’s senior coach: Brooke Collins

Murgheboluc

INS: Inam Ullah, Jake Nichols

OUTS: Mitch Humm (Corio), Chad Butterworth

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coach: Dan Grozdanovski

Women’s senior coach: Brendan Putt

Women’s senior captain: Em Jondahl

Murgheboluc batters Luke Webb and Dan Grozdanovski embrace after winning the GCA2 first grade premiership in March, 2023. Picture: Mark Wilson

Geelong West

INS:

Jordan Tegelhuter (Newtown & Chilwell), Sam Allen, Andrew Wiffen

OUTS:

William Hoye (overseas)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coach: Bill Dixon

Women’s senior coach: Jared Muraca

Men’s senior captain: Jordan Tegelhuter

Lara

INS:

Rhyce Nolan (Bell Post Hill), Peter Herrick (Deer Park), George Blatherwick (returning), Brenden Miller (Birregurra).

OUTS:

Dan Blatherwick (St Albans), Lauren Heyward.

Lara's Daniel Blatherwick was a joint winner of the Jack Sing Medal. Picture: Lara Cricket Club.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coaches: Peter Herrick and Daniel Weigl

Men’s senior coach: Daniel Weigl

Lara Cricket Club has appointed Peter Herrick and Daniel Weigl was co-coaches for the 2024-25 season. Picture: Lara Cricket Club.

Women’s senior coach: Jhiah Baxter

Bell Park

INS: Matt MacLeod (Warrnambool), Chris Hester (St Albans Breakwater), Jack Hodgson (St

Joseph’s), Brad Apps (North Geelong).

OUTS: Jake Brown (Geelong)

Jake Brown, with Thomson captain Adam Bliss before last summer’s GCA3 first grade grand final, will be an assistant coach at Geelong in 24-25. Picture: Alan Barber

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Senior men’s coach: Anthony Jackson,

Senior men’s captain: Ben Grinter,

Women’s senior coach: Matt MacLeod,

Geelong City

OUTS:

Will and Henry Collins (Inverleigh), Cody Brogden (Geelong), Mitch McGlade (Birregurra)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior captain and coach: Jack Driver

Geelong City’s Jack Driver. Picture: Mark Wilson

Leopold

INS:

Dillon Taylor, Henry Hatswell, Chad Butterworth

OUTS:

Lochie Philp (Queenscliff), Jack Cain, Rob Procter

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Senior men’s coaches: Reece Plumridge and Tom Treble

GCA3

Thomson

INS:

Zac Smith, Blake Ritchie, James Mewett, Jackson Burke, Seaver Cowley (returning), Nick Whan.

Zac Smith has joined Thomson from St Albans Breakwater. Picture Mark Wilson

Corio

INS:

Nathaniel Blyth (Geelong), Sahil Talwar (Murgheboluc), Daniel Stock (UK), Jarad Battenally (Newtown & Chilwell), Mitch Humm (Murgheboluc), Ben Strachan (Manifold Heights), Jhye Kenna (returning).

OUT:

Charlie Hood (UK)

Senior men’s coach: Ron Stoop

Senior men’s captain: Anthony Grace

Senior women’s coach: Drew Coote

Alexander Thomson

INS:

Ollie Mahnchke (Mortlake, Wendouree).

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Zac Mevisen

Women’s senior coaches: Paul Coleman and Jodie Clark

Women’s senior captain: Jodie Clark

Ollie Mahncke has joined Alexander Thomson via Mortlake. Picture: Alexander Thomson Cricket Club.

Bannockburn

INS:

Elianna Currie (Point Cook), Ben Roberts (UK), Hamish Lucas (North Geelong), Darren Fernandes (St Peter’s).

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Senior men’s coach and captain: Finn Peel

Senior women’s coach: Stephen Currie

Senior women’s captain: Britt Mitchell

Waurn Ponds Deakin

INS:

Ethan Rogers

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Senior men’s coach: Bennett Thomson

Senior men’s captain: Nick Phillips

Manifold Heights

INS:

Mitch Gorman, Ethan Quin (both St Albans Breakwater), Brock Ince, Nick, Nathan and Matthew Pratt.

OUTS: Ben Strachan (Corio)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Senior men’s coach: Stuart Calder

Mitch Gorman once played cricket at Geelong with a bunch of family members. Picture: Stephen Harman

Marshall

INS:

Brad Greenwood (Barrabool), Mike Norris (St Albans Breakwater), Jack Cain (Leopold), Phil Lang (St Albans Breakwater)

Mike Norris has joined Marshall from St Albans Breakwater. Picture: Mark Wilson

OUTS:

Tom Beasley (Anglesea)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Senior men’s coach: Phil Lang

Senior men’s captain: Jake Hilton

Modewarre

INS:

Robert Proctor (Leopold), Rhys Ingersen (Waurn Ponds), Lucas Snow (Winchelsea), Billey Bernet (Apollo Bay), Harrison Lugg (Apollo Bay), Will Smith (Fylde, UK), Will Thrumm (Bendigo United).

OUTS:

Michael Grohman (Newtown & Chilwell)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Brandon Ross

GCA4

Meredith

INS:

Levhi Givvens (East Ballarat), Harli Givvens (East Ballarat), Matt Ringin

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Tyler Dittloff, Matt Ringin

Men’s senior captain: Tyler Dittloff

Harli Givvens has signed with Meredith for the 2024-25 season. Picture: Supplied.

St Albans Breakwater

OUTS:

Zac Smith, Jackson Burke, Blake Ritchie, Stuart Keys, Phil Lang, Mike Norris, Ethan Quin, Mitch Gorman

Thomson Cricket Club has recruited Jackson Burke. Picture: Thomson Cricket Club.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Mick Graham

Men’s senior captain: Jake Spalding

Guild St Mary’s

INS:

Simran Cheema (Tarneit Central), Vikrant Makkar (Tarneit Central), Akash Singh (Marshall), Kapil Sabharwal (Tarneit Central).

OUTS:

Jatinder Bhatt, Prince Chouhan

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Anand Choudhary

Men’s senior captain: Simran Cheema

Lethbridge

INS:

Brooke Gorman, Peighton Wise, Sheree Meyer, Suzie Ljubojevic (UK), Chloe Smith, Tom Saunders, Thomas Saunders (UK), Brendan Schultz, Nick Dunn

OUTS:

Jesse Sorgiovanni, Trish Baker, Racheal Wood, Clare Hallawell, Rachelle Myers

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Matthew Giles

Men’s senior captain: Shane Dillon

Women’s director of cricket: Vihang Ahlawat

Newcomb & District

INS:

Jacob Lockheart, Rosie Grist, Nathan Keevil (UK), Anthony Quarrell (Grovedale), Toby Furbush (Myerscough Cricket College), Scott Kirby (Tarleton), Tyler O’Neill.

The Dinos have signed Norfolk product, Jacob Lockheart. Picture: Newcomb & District Cricket Club.

OUTS:

Ben Stoves (returning to UK), Cam Egan (South Barwon)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Eugene Stanciu

Women’s senior coach and captain: Rosie Grist

Little River

INS:

Andrew Spengler (Drysdale), Allen Matthews, Sunny Orgezin (Bellbridge)

Andrew Spengler batting for St Leonards. Picture: Mark Wilson

OUTS:

Rabi Uddin (Darwin)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coach: Reuben Chandran

Men’s senior captain: Luke Wright

Originally published as Jack Sing medallist Dan Blatherwick departs Lara Cricket Club for St Albans