We name our BPCA Team of the Year for the top two grades
Three BPCA players have produced terrific seasons despite a serious lack of team success in 2024-25. See who made our A1 and A2 teams of the year.
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An Armstrong Creek opener and reigning Ray Menzies medallist has headlined this masthead’s team of the year for the second year running as the Titans chase A1 premiership glory from this Saturday against defending champions Barwon Heads.
In fact, just two A1 players who made our the team of the year didn’t contest the finals on the weekend, perhaps pointing to a gulf that opened up between the top three teams in the Titans, Seagulls and Anglesea and the remaining five sides.
Underlining the Seagulls’ strength this season – chasing three first grade BPCA titles in as many years – they will field sides in the B1 and C2 grand finals after finishing on top and losing just three games in total.
It was a similar story in GCA2, with Lara qualifying for all four grand finals after winning in week one.
Meanwhile, in A2, three players were recognised for fine seasons in the face of adversity as their respective teams lacked overall success.
None more notably than Shane Healey at the one-win Newcomb, Winchelsea’s gun all-rounder Shane Murdoch and James Burns, who took 33 wickets for a St Leonards outfit which won two fixtures in 24-25.
The team of the year for the BPCA’s second tier also had an English flavour, with two overseas recruits making the cut.
A1 team of the year
Clay Mulgrew
Armstrong Creek
A1’s most dominant batter for the second year running, Mulgrew once more passed the 700-run barrier.
With 734 runs at 61.17, Mulgrew was more than 120 ahead of his nearest rival in Barwon Heads opener Max Melzer.
Mulgrew will be shooting for atonement in Saturday’s decider after the Titans were knocked out in a semi-final last season.
Unsurprisingly, Mulgrew made the BPCA’s team of the year in 23-24.
Max Melzer
Barwon Heads
The key wicket for the Titans from this Saturday.
Easily the Seagulls’ most prolific batter of 24-25 with 607 runs at 60.7, Melzer was Barwon Heads’ lone entry in the top 20 in the aggregate, and rose from eighth last year to second on the aggregate.
In good nick with 69 in the semi-final before being run out and compiled 36 against the Titans back in late November, also run out.
Hayden Illingworth
Queenscliff
Has predominantly opened this year but spent all of 23-24 at first drop, so he knows the position.
Illingworth has been a BPCA run machine after switching from St Peter’s, and was third in the batting aggregate with 462 runs at 46.2 this year.
Made double figures in every innings with a 92 against Barwon Heads in the opening round his golden chance of that illusive ton at the Coutas.
Michael Kelson
Barrabool
Apart from a globe in the semi-final, Kelson hit double figures in all of his 12 innings for the Bulls as they qualified for a semi-final.
A hugely improved performer compared to 23-24, jumping from 17th to third on the runs aggregate.
A 158-ball 111 against Drysdale being his highest score this year.
Kane Pickering
Barrabool
Another consistent year for the Bulls gun – revealed to be one of the leading BPCA batters of the past 10 seasons – especially after Christmas, where he made 280 runs at 56 from late January.
Simon Umbers
The Roos opener was particularly prolific in the first two thirds of the season, with five half centuries by the start of February.
Also played for the BPCA in Country Week.
Ty Norman
Anglesea
The Roos premiership player’s form tapered off post-Christmas but struck two tons by December, including 142 in a big win over semi-finalist Barrabool.
Last year’s BPCA team of the year captain remained a key wicket for an opposition bowling attack.
Daniel Donaldson
Barwon Heads
Another standout season with the ball with 26 wickets at 21.35, after netting a league-high 36 at 15.08 last year.
Far from a dominant season with the blade, the former Red Centre all-rounder still contributed innings of substance against the top bracket of teams: 55 against Saturday’s rival in Armstrong Creek, 36 against Anglesea and an unbeaten 46 in a six-wicket defeat of Jan Juc.
Michael Thornton
Anglesea
Was equal first on the bowling aggregate after the regular season with 24 wickets at 8.8, alongside James Fisher and Blake Dobbin.
However, Thornton had his moments with the bat, too, making 123 against Queenscliff amongst a three-game run which netted 219 runs at 73.
James Fisher
Barrabool
Finished the season in strong fashion with 11 wickets at 13 from his final three matches, including 3-68 off a lion-hearted 32 overs in a losing semi-final.
Coming in down the order, Fisher also contributed five double figure scores including 62 against Queenscliff in the final round.
Jack Maclean
Armstrong Creek
The Bell Park premiership player bowled his side into a grand final after taking 5-36 against Barrabool on Sunday — his second-best haul for the season.
Produced the best figures of 6-8 against Drysdale back in December over a golden three-game run which netted 12 wickets at 5.5.
Blake Dobbin (12th man)
Drysdale
Made the switch to A1 with aplomb, finishing equal first in the bowling aggregate with 24 wickets at 15.79 after the regular season.
Very unlucky to not be picked in the XI, while Anglesea’s Tom Beasley also pressed his claims with two six-fors.
Dobbin made last year’s BPCA team of the year after grabbing a staggering 44 wickets at 11.39 apiece.
A2 team of the year
Corey Walter
Collendina
The Cobras opener and reigning Ian Caldwell medallist took his game to new heights this season with a historic 210 against St Leonards in the final round.
Finished the year with 764 runs at 109.14, but would have been disappointed to make just 30 in a semi-final against Inverleigh.
Hampered by injury, Walter was unable to spend much time at the bowling crease but remained A2’s biggest wicket after returning to the Snake Pit from Marshall.
Brenton Toole
Portarlington
An incredibly consistent year for the Demons opener, who dropped down to three for his final five innings.
With 11 scores of 22 or more, Toole struck four half centuries but couldn’t quite nail the monster scores which defined his 23-24 campaign.
Made last year’s BPCA team of the year, too.
Lachlan Platt
Inverleigh
Batting at three in all bar one innings, Platt was second on the A2 batting aggregate with 519 runs at 51.9.
Making four half centuries from his last five innings, his fifth was arguably his best with an unbeaten 61 in a seven-wicket defeat of Collendina in the semi-final.
William Liddle
Surfcoast
The best performing all-rounder in A2 this year, arriving from Nichols Point in the Sunraysia competition in October, 2023.
Batting anywhere from six to opener, Liddle was the Suns’ best performing batter in 24-25, with five half centuries and a best score of 94 against Portarlington.
Started the season with two unbeaten half centuries which set the tone for the remainder of the year.
Capped off a brilliant all-round campaign with 25 wickets at 15.8.
Shane Murdoch
Winchelsea
Another fantastic season for the Wincheslea all-rounder, finishing in the top five for runs while chipping in with 10 wickets, after being named vice-captain of the BPCA’s team of the year in 23-24.
Murdoch finished the A1 season in strong style with two half centuries and a 40 from his last four hits, and performed admirably for the BPCA at Country Week.
Shane Healey
Newcomb
A superb effort from the Newcomb all-rounder to finish in the top 10 for both batting and bowling when you consider the Bulls only won one game — their first in almost 12 months.
Stan Grazotis
Collendina
An incredible 30 wickets at just 8.87 to finish second on the bowling aggregate for the talented Cobra.
However, Grazotis would have been disappointed with his runs output, an unbeaten 43 and an undefeated 99 against Winchelsea his only scores of note.
James Sood (keeper)
Wallington
The UK import enjoyed a historic finish to the regular season with an unbeaten 158 in a record 255-run partnership with countryman Billy Gravett for the Wallabies.
Also produced scores of 90 against Winchelsea and 40 versus Portarlington to open the A2 season.
Billy Gravett
Wallington
Another UK hire for Wallington who finished third on the bowling aggregate.
Struggled for runs down the list before bumping his average considerably with an unbeaten 133 against Newcomb in the final round.
Daniel Midolo
Inverleigh
Midolo enjoyed a strong finish to the year with wickets at 16 wickets at eight from his past five outings at the bowling crease, including 3-27 in the semi-final against Collendina.
Wallington will be keeping a close eye on his wares come Saturday afternoon.
James Burns
St Leonards
A herculean effort from Burns who managed to lead the A2 bowling with 33 wickets at 12.94, despite his side winning just two games in 24-25.
At one stage, Burns took 24 wickets at 9.5 across five games mid-season.
And it’s fair to see Burns had the ball on a string against Surfcoast in December, producing the amazing figures of 6-46 off 34.2 overs.
Dane Wise-Graham (12th man)
Wallington
Eighth on the bowling aggregate with 22 wickets at 13.91, Wise-Graham also struck unbeaten half centuries from his past two innings.
Beat off fierce competition from St Leonards’ Brian White, Surfcoast spinner Rhys Healy, Winchelsea’s Mitchell Buhrmann, Wallington’s Adam Southorn and Inverleigh’s Locke Perrett for a spot.
Perrett was an early A2 pace setter with 17 wickets at 7.7 from his first five games before injury, while Buhrmann took 19 wickets at 19.53 and was handy with the bat.
Originally published as We name our BPCA Team of the Year for the top two grades
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