The South Australia Dingoes can smell blood and are out for the championship this season, claims manager James Ross-Naylor.
Ross-Naylor today released profiles of each individual player in SA's squad, as well as the lineup for the opening game against the Australian Capital Territory Comets. The lineup alone made a statement, with Eric Lawrence and Wally Timmy, both longtime bastions at their former club, Adelaide City, unable to secure places in the XI.
"It shows how strong a squad we have, that players of the quality of Eric and Wally aren't getting a game.," claimed Ross-Naylor. "Only a couple of seasons ago, they were two of the first picked."
"They will definitely see it as a challenge to get back into the first eleven, and that kind of competition can only be healthy for our club."
Former AC captain Ryan Smyth was today officially announced as the captain of South Australia, with previous captain Graham Stocks retained as his deputy. "Ryan knows the majority of the playing group, who came over from AC, so he was always the better choice," Ross-Naylor rationalized his decision. "That said, Stocksy's really impressed me with the way he's gone about it... he's still very much a leader by example and a great team man. I can see Smythy handing him the reins in a couple of seasons' time."
At his press conference, Smyth talked up his club's chances. "I think we've got one of the best lists going around. Moldrich, Sidebottom, Stocks, Desai and Lawrence in reserve is a bowling attack to be feared, and our batting is solid if not flashy. Having CJ [Christopher Dow] at 8 doesn't hurt. Western Australia are fantastic but they're aging, and New South Wales have a lot of talent but have struggled to make the most of it recently. This is a real chance for us and we've got to grab it."
"Having said that, we're not underestimating ACT. Spud, or Keeper as he's now known, has put together a pretty solid team that can match it with the best on their day. We need to get off to a good start against them, and that's exactly what we intend to do."
Ross-Naylor today released profiles of each individual player in SA's squad, as well as the lineup for the opening game against the Australian Capital Territory Comets. The lineup alone made a statement, with Eric Lawrence and Wally Timmy, both longtime bastions at their former club, Adelaide City, unable to secure places in the XI.
"It shows how strong a squad we have, that players of the quality of Eric and Wally aren't getting a game.," claimed Ross-Naylor. "Only a couple of seasons ago, they were two of the first picked."
"They will definitely see it as a challenge to get back into the first eleven, and that kind of competition can only be healthy for our club."
Former AC captain Ryan Smyth was today officially announced as the captain of South Australia, with previous captain Graham Stocks retained as his deputy. "Ryan knows the majority of the playing group, who came over from AC, so he was always the better choice," Ross-Naylor rationalized his decision. "That said, Stocksy's really impressed me with the way he's gone about it... he's still very much a leader by example and a great team man. I can see Smythy handing him the reins in a couple of seasons' time."
At his press conference, Smyth talked up his club's chances. "I think we've got one of the best lists going around. Moldrich, Sidebottom, Stocks, Desai and Lawrence in reserve is a bowling attack to be feared, and our batting is solid if not flashy. Having CJ [Christopher Dow] at 8 doesn't hurt. Western Australia are fantastic but they're aging, and New South Wales have a lot of talent but have struggled to make the most of it recently. This is a real chance for us and we've got to grab it."
"Having said that, we're not underestimating ACT. Spud, or Keeper as he's now known, has put together a pretty solid team that can match it with the best on their day. We need to get off to a good start against them, and that's exactly what we intend to do."
