Ocean Grove skipper Dan Roddis has no hesitation in explaining what he wants from his side this season
The left-arm paceman is adamant the Grubbers are there to win an A1 Grade premiership.
“We’re going to try and go out to win it, that’s it,” he said.
“Not even going to worry about saying ‘we’re just trying to make finals’ – no, we want to win. I didn’t waste thousands of hours on the phone during the offseason recruiting all these players just to make finals and get knocked out in the semis.
“The higher you can set yourselves as a target, the better the standards can be because everyone knows where you’re going to.”
Among Ocean Grove’s recruits this season are Suman Shrestha, who is coming off making a heap of runs in Nottinghamshire, Alex Mann, who took 18 wickets at 15.5 for Portarlington last season and Shane Van Den Nouwland, a former Geelong 4th XI skipper.
Roddis confirmed all three would make their Ocean Grove A Grade debuts this weekend.
Roddis sees his side’s strength in its slow-bowling options. Coach Robbie Rutley, veteran Paul Jubber, youngster Bailey Le Maistre, the returning Tom Kent and Suman will all play a role in taking the pace off the ball this season.
Tom Hobbs will add stability to the top order although work commitments will keep him out of the side for the first few rounds and Ned Thorley returns after a stint with Marshall.
The side’s two best players last season, all-rounder Mick Thornton and opener Shaun Fankhauser, have recommitted.
Roddis, Taylor Harvey, Sam McGlynn and Thornton will bowl seam while Luke Ballard will be a handy inclusion from Werribee Centrals once he gets over an injury.
Ocean Grove travels to Queenscliff in round one on Saturday October 7 to take on the Coutas, who were minor premiers last season.
“It’s a big test this week,” Roddis said.
“They played finals last year and we’ll try and beat them for the first time in eight years or something like that. I think it was 2015 the last time we beat them.”
In other A1 Grade games, Barwon Heads hosts Jan Juc, Inverleigh travels to Anglesea and Armstrong Creek entertains Barrabool.
