South Tamworth will launch the defence of their premiership on Saturday with a new-look side – taking on their vanquished grand final opponents, Old Boys, in a one-dayer at Chaffey Park.
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Souths have lost four players from their grand final-winning side – Troy Osborne, Chris Massey, Josh Crowe and Blake Fitzgerald.
On Saturday, they will also be without wicketkeeper Tom Groth, fast bowler Tom O’Neill and new signing Kaleb McIlveen, after they were named in the Bolters side for the Plan B Regional Bash in Port Macquarie.
Mitch Smith – who steered Souths to premiership glory following five straight losses in the season finale – said he was “struggling for numbers” for Saturday’s clash because of the Bash and other factors.
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“So that’s a big loss straight up,” he said of having three players missing because of the Twenty20 tournament. “But we’ll make do [with what we’ve got].”
“We’re sort of looking forward to getting one game under the belt,” he added.
McIlveen played first grade for premiers Court House last season in Gunnedah, opening in the grand final.
He also played for Central North Red in the inaugural under-18 Northern NSW Pathways Challenge, which concluded in Tamworth on Tuesday.
It’s sort of a fresh slate, in a way, and I don’t think there’s massive expectations.
- Mitch Smith
Smith said it “should be exciting” seeing McIlveen develop this season.
“I think he’s trying to take his game to another level,” the skipper said.
Smith said there was a real youthful feel to the team this season.
“It’s sort of a fresh slate, in a way,” he said.
“And I don’t think there’s massive expectations … [But] hopefully we’re there again at the end.”
He added: “We’ve lost a bit of stability, in a way.”
Old Boys have lost Simon Norvill, skipper Ben Middlebrook and new signing Adam McGuirk to the Bash.
Middlebrook said Old Boys had a similar line-up to last season.