After stepping away last year after 15 years behind the stumps, Tom Groth is back in the Central North fold.
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The long-serving zone captain will coach the senior men's side at the Country Bash and Northern Country Championships to be held in Tamworth from November 16-19.
Always a weekend that the NSW Country stalwart looked forward to, one of the reasons he put his hand up to help out was to try and get some pride and interest back in representing the zone.
In recent times they've struggled to get the best players wanting to be involved and have subsequently probably fallen a bit behind.
"We're trying to sort of make it more of a big deal to play for Central North," Groth said.
"There's a lot of players that didn't make themselves available last year and I just thought one way I suppose I could have made a difference was sort of putting my hand up to help out and work hard on getting players to make themselves available."
Being assisted by Aaron Mahony and Don Lewington, they got pretty close to their wish list.
Among the notable inclusions are Rixon brothers Brendan and Michael.
"They're two of the first guys picked if they're available," Groth said.
"They haven't played for a few years so it's good to get them back involved."
As it is Maitland allrounder Josh Trappel, who will captain the side.
"Josh hasn't played for five or six years and he's chomping at the bit," he said.
Finalised following the recent trial between Northern Inland and Hunter Valley, nine of the 16-strong squad were part of last season's campaign and all bar Steve Abel and Sam Dalibozek, who both ply their trade in the Maitland competition, have pulled on the navy and red previously.
Northern Inland players feature heavily with the Rixon brothers joined by Jelany Chilia, Tom Fitzgerald, Callum Henry, Tait Jordan, Adam McGuirk, Simon Norvill, Jye Paterson and Nathan Trindall.
The carnival has this year been expanded from three to four days and the format also changed, with what was the Regional Bash being rolled into the championships.
That will kick things off on the Thursday with teams playing a Twenty20 in the morning and then a play-off in the afternoon.
Greater Illawarra have also come into the northern pool with Central Coast moving to the southern pool.
It's not the first time Groth has carried the coach title after his name.
At the 2019 carnival he acted as captain-coach.
Then also having to concentrate on playing, he sees his role as more creating an environment that enables them to play well than a coach in the traditional sense.
"The guys get to this level on their own ability and it's probably more about getting the best out of the guys now," he said.
"Helping them prepare and get ready to play to their ability is probably what it's about for me."
CENTRAL NORTH: Steve Abel, Jelany Chilia, Sam Dalibozek, Tom Fitzgerald, Callum Henry, Tait Jordan, Harry King, Jett Lee, Adam McGuirk, Simon Norvill, Jye Paterson, Brendan Rixon, Michael Rixon, Shannon Threlfo, Josh Trappel (c), Nathan Trindall. Coach - Tom Groth, assistant coaches - Aaron Mahony and Don Lewington.
