By Trevor Jackson
AFTER coming up short in the Hoggies Wines Barber Shield cricket semi-final last season, Penola is out to return to the top of the list in 2020-21.
At the helm this year is Mark Smith, after Jase Bateman decided to return to Furner due to excessive travelling times.
Smith is no stranger to the club culture, with several seasons at Penola and looks forward to the challenge ahead.
“I am pretty excited about it,” he said.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be able to do it.”
Smith conceded it was a disappointing end to last season and hoped to go one better this time around.
“We felt we were the best side last season but we didn’t play well in the finals when it counted,” he said.
“I am just looking forward to seeing how we go.
“There is a bit of a changing of the guard and the team is a bit different, so it will be interesting to see how we respond as a group.
“North proved it last year all you have to do is make the finals, so if we can just make the four and play our best cricket when it counts I think we would be a chance.
“For now it is just take it week by week and try to win enough games to get us in there and give us a chance.
“If we could win (the grand final) it would be outstanding.”
There are a few changes Smith will have to deal with this season, with the ever-green George Kidman suggesting he will pull up stumps.
Smith said he will wait and see how that pans out.
“George says he is not going to play but we will try to convince him,” he said.
“He is definitely not going to start.
“There will be no Kurt (Evans) and no Jase (Bateman), so we have three very experienced players out of our team.
“Logan Gibbs played mainly B Grade but he has gone as well.
“We have picked up Paul Ellis from Kongorong and Sam Klemm – he played A Grade a few years ago but had shoulder surgery.
“He went back into B Grade but is going to step up this season.
“When everyone is available we still have a pretty good 11.”
It appears there may be a sense of atonement for the semi-final loss last season.
Smith said he felt last season’s roster was one of the strongest in the competition but understands how tough it is to win a flag.
“It is always the main goal to win one,” he said.
“I personally didn’t think I would ever win one and when we won a couple of years ago you realise how hard it is and how lucky you are.”
At this stage Smith said the feeling around the group had been positive, with good numbers on the training track.
He contributes some of that to the COVID-19 pandemic, with players keen to return to normal activity after a full season without football and the social gathering sport provides.
“In previous years we probably haven’t trained as early or as much but we started training a bit earlier this year and had the majority of the A Grade out,” he said.
“I guess some people haven’t played sport and socially haven’t seen many people, so they are probably keen to get out and get amongst the club and team environment.”
Smith said he expected the turf wicket at McCorquindale Park to come up a treat for tomorrow’s opening clash with Mil Lel.
“We had a bit of a hit on Saturday and the turf is looking good,” he said.
“I think it will play all right.”
