Last year’s division three grand finalists still hunting for their first win of season 2025-26
Several GCA clubs have fallen off the perch after dominant summers while a few have screamed back into finals contention. See how your team is tracking.
Several GCA clubs have fallen off the perch after six rounds following dominant seasons last summer.
Perennial contender Torquay in division two, and last summer’s division three first grade premier and grand finalist, Thomson and Marshall, have battled to this point with just one win between them.
The second division Tigers, who were stiff to bow out in week one of the finals due to bad weather on the Sunday against Bell Park, are currently on the bottom of the first grade ladder.
Torquay was second in GCA2 based on the rolling two-year average assessment after the 2024-25 season, but are second last after six rounds this summer based on championship points.
Torquay have battled disruption this summer, unable to play at McCartney Oval due to ongoing upgrade works.
Its first grade team has been forced to play away fixtures while its twos are competing on Sundays.
Meanwhile, GCA2 opponent Bell Post Hill have had a similar drop: fifth on the two-year rolling average to last on the club championship.
In GCA3, first grade premiers Thomson – who lost key Tigers Seaver Cowley and Blake Ritchie during the off-season – and last year’s grand finalists Marshall are currently winless this season.
The Tigers finished second on the GCA3 rolling two-year assessment after the 24-25 season while Marshall was third.
However, according to the GCA’s championship standings, Thomson is last and Marshall fifth after six rounds.
The Tigers and the Bears are currently playing each other in Round 7 at Godfrey St, with the visitors 2-23 chasing 195 for victory.
Risers and sliders in the GCA after six rounds
St Joseph’s
Joeys finished sixth on the two-year rolling average after last summer but have shot to second on the club championship table in 25-26.
While he has missed several games, new recruit Zane Keighran has been a superb pick up smashing two tons from just three digs, including an incredible 135 with seven sixes out of a team score of 224 against Newtown & Chilwell last Saturday.
Newtown & Chilwell
Finishing season 24-25 in fourth place based on a two-year rolling average, the Two Blues are currently last on the club championship.
Its first grade are yet to bank a win while its second grade are also winless after six rounds.
Fortunately, the club’s thirds and fourths are currently in the top four.
But there could be a breakthrough win on the horizon, with the Two Blues’ first grade currently 1-16 chasing 225 against Joeys this Saturday.
Leopold
After a disappointing 24-25 where the Lions’s first grade missed the finals and finished sixth, Leopold is currently on top of the club championship after six rounds.
The Lions finished the summer sixth on the two-year rolling average.
However, to no surprise to anybody who follows local and Premier cricket, Hayden Butterworth has had a strong impact for Leopold after a summer off, currently sixth on the GCA2 batting aggregate with 210 runs at 42, including 112 against the demoted Highton.
He’s also chipped in with nine wickets.
Leopold is poised for back-to-back victories after posting 8-310 against Bell Park last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Robbie O’Donnell and Declan Gibson have both taken 10 wickets apiece and have four bowlers all up in the top 10 aggregate (Butterworth and Reece Plumridge).
Torquay
The Tigers, whose first grade team bowed out in week one of the finals last summer, finished the season second on the two-year rolling average.
However, Torquay has fallen to seventh on the club championship in 25-26, with its first grade on the bottom with one win after six rounds.
It’s been a testing year for Torquay, losing promising young bowler Patrick Sullivan to Geelong while Andrew Wedge returned to Grovedale and Gurpreet Singh switched to South Barwon in the GCA’s top tier.
And to top it off, McCartney Oval remains off limits due to a major upgrade.
On a brighter note, the Tigers’ first grade are 0-14 chasing 140 for victory this Saturday against Geelong West with last summer’s run machine Tristan Kassis unbeaten on 14 off 12 balls, all in boundaries.
Up the other end is Scottish keeper-batter and under-19 national representative Finlay Carter, currently fourth on the GCA2 first grade batting aggregate with 234 runs at 46.8.
Bell Post Hill
The Panthers have slipped from fifth on the two-year rolling average to deadlast on the club championship after six rounds.
Bell Post Hill, who picked up league-leading bowler Jason Grozdanovski (14 wickets at 10.93) during the off-season, sensationally lost 8-8 against Bell Park in Round 6, crumbling from 2-193 chasing 242 for victory, to be all out for 201.
Meanwhile, Bell Park, who are third on the club championship, boast the top three batters in the competition: Jamie Spiller, Sam Elliston-Buckley and Nik Pottabathini.
Lethbridge
The Rosellas have aced their promotion to division three overall following back-to-back GCA4 first grade flags.
Lethbridge, who knocked off the reigning premier Thomson last round on its home deck, are currently second on the club championship table, with Thomas Saunders fourth on the first grade batting aggregate (205 runs at 41) and Hayden Spiller second with the ball (13 wickets at 9.69), taking six-for against the Tigers.
Corio
The Devils have been a big mover, rising from seventh on the two-year rolling average after season 24-25 to first on the club championship after six rounds, led by Ben Strachan (166 runs at 83) and Mitch Humm (nine wickets at 16.11).
Corio’s seconds, which finished seventh last year after a three-win campaign, have leapt into the top four.
Manifold Heights
It’s been a tough 18 months for the Sharks, finishing last on the two-year rolling average after the 24-25 season, ultimately demoted to GCA4 and currently fifth overall in the club championship after nine rounds.
The Sharks are currently fourth in first grade but their twos have won just two matches.
Matthew Pratt has been a shining light with 17 wickets at 12.41 apiece and 249 runs at 41.5.
Meanwhile, Guild-St Mary’s, under new coach James Bottomley, have jumped from fourth on the two-year rolling average to the top after nine rounds.
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Originally published as Last year’s division three grand finalists still hunting for their first win of season 2025-26
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