TYLER: Alright boys, we are back for another week of Let’s Talk Sport, my first outing as host, I am nervous! How was your weekend, Nick?
Nick: My weekend was good, the sun was out, I had a spot in the shade at the cricket too so it was good.
TYLER: Dave, where did you head out to on the weekend?
DAVE: I played golf in the morning, and then I went out to Tooradin, then Cardinia. I caught up with the ex-sports editor Russell Bennett. He is driving around in a nice Audi at the moment!
TYLER: Driving an Audi, working at The Age and down at Cardinia watching cricket?
DAVE: It was very much the city slicker and the country bumpkin having a chat, but he shouted some beers which was very nice of ‘Rusty’.
TYLER: Very good. Nick, my first topic, I’ll head to you.
UNDER-RATED GUNS
TYLER: Who is the most underrated cricketer that we cover? Someone that doesn’t quite catch the headlines of the Pakenham Gazette, not your Matt Chasemore or David White, but someone that coasts along, doesn’t get talked about, but is a star?
NICK: I am probably leaving out 20 cricketers when I answer this one (laughs), Hallam Kalora Park premiership skipper, Jordan Hammond… premiership captain, Turf 1, he’s still in his early 20s. Just a star that does it with both bat and ball, stump-to-stump bowler and hits the ball hard. He is a 300-run at 40, 30 wickets at 15-a-year player and we probably don’t talk about him enough.
He had one year at Premier Cricket level, but now he is back at local level, doing what he does.
TYLER: Am I correct in saying his first ever Victorian Premier Cricket wicket was Marcus Harris at the Junction?
NICK: Correct, I believe caught at gully, he was very happy with that, as you would be.
TYLER: I don’t know Jordan Hammond very well, but Dave, if you got Marcus Harris out – more than likely the Aussie opener this Ashes series – and you were at the pub, you see him facing first ball of the Ashes summer over a beer, would you look at your mates and just say ‘I got him out once?’
DAVE: Of course. As Nick calls it: ‘a flex’. The ultimate flex.
TYLER: Well Dave, who is your most underrated player?
DAVE: In the true spirit of Let’s Talk Sport, you have thrown this at me with two minutes notice.
NICK: Yeah (shakes head at Tyler in agreeance with Dave)
DAVE: So I apologise to the hundreds of them out there. But there are two boys out there that come to mind, both from Kooweerup.
Travis Canavan – you boys are probably going to raise your eyebrows and go ‘who the heck is that?’ – but that sums him up. He was a leader, captain at Kooweerup, came from Merinda Park – if I remember correctly – in the grand final it just summed him up.
Kooweerup were in a bit of trouble against Tooradin and he played one of the gutsiest knocks I have ever seen in my life. He was a good medium pace bowler who could tie things up too, but he never really got the plaudits. For leadership and ability to perform under pressure he is my first one.
And at the moment, Matt Davey. He has been a superstar of the competition, but I don’t think we have reported his impact as much as we should have. That bloke is made of steel; if he comes out to bat you know you’re in for a fight to get him out. When he takes the ball, you know you’ll get some ripping balls that will test you.
He is probably the highest quality cricketer that I can think of in our competitions that was underrated.
TYLER: Both every good answers – a batter down in my competition (MPCA) down at Old Peninsula – Wade Pelzer. He bats at three or four, he averages I think nearly 50 – no exaggeration – and I still think everyone worries about the other bats and forgets him.
CHOOSING TO PLAY WITH 10
TYLER: Moving on to another cricket related topic… the Brighton Cricket Club. They’re not in our area of coverage but I saw some news the other week that they’re electing to play with ten; there have been a few jokes where they are being called ‘Brigh-ten’. It’s due to a cap squeeze. Nick is this in the spirit of the game and have you seen anything like it in our local comps?
NICK: I haven’t seen it in my time at the Gazette. There is always going to be manipulation of player points in the higher associations, sometimes you see some good clubs in good competitions have some outstanding players play in the twos every now and again.
It is a really unique situation going on at Brighton at the moment; I will personally say I don’t like it. Cricket is played with 11 players and despite what they believe is right, something doesn’t quite sit right about it with me in the spirit in the game.
TYLER: Now Dave has mentioned what a flex is already… Is it a little bit of a flex from Brighton that they’re actually 2-0 with one less player?
NICK: They’re 2-0 and they have some fantastic players in their line-up, but I know ‘Subbies’ won’t be comfortable with it for the entirety of the season.
TYLER: (turns to Dave) Nick has actually gone a little bit light-hearted there, Dave. His cousin is one of the infamous ten that are playing for Brighton at the moment, it might be because Christmas is coming up and he doesn’t want to miss out on a gift.
What do you think about this topic and have you seen it before?
DAVE: Look, covering F Grade and G Grade in the WGCA, I have quite often reported on games where teams are fielding seven or eight players (laughs). So from that perspective, it’s not that unique.
But I think of it (and compare) to country football, there are clubs that are heavily top ended with quality players worth five or six points, you see good players miss out. But I have never seen it happen before in cricket, I think you set yourself for a fall. I’d imagine as an opposition player, the first sledge you would be giving that team is ‘here they come, the la de da’s, they think they can beat us with ten players’.
That’s just from a competitive point of view. But from a management point of view from the league, I know I would be pretty disappointed if I had a team doing that – even though they’re not breaking the rules – it just doesn’t seem right. Cricket is 11 players, but if that’s what they think gives them the best chance of winning games, you can’t argue with that.
TYLER: As someone that played a lot of cricket Dave, do you become a hated club when you do that each week, accept and own it? I think there is a situation where there is a fight with between Brighton and the comp on dis-agreeance with a point value.
DAVE: Hate is a strong word. But I think you do get a target on your back. Personally, I wouldn’t want to be a part of the team that walks out with ten to tell you the truth.
Cricket is meant to be an enjoyable sport and I don’t think it would be a good experience if you are in a hard-nosed competition against good competitors, I wouldn’t like the feel of being on the ground with ten.
NICK: Not to mention, cricket is a hard enough game as it is to get opportunities (Tyler agrees), there is only 11 blokes that play in your side each week.
TYLER: We will move on and onto our last topic, a football topic.
BERWICK DRAFT PICKS
The AFL Draft was during the week and Nick, a club you have covered for a long time – Berwick – had three draftees during the week. Mac Andrew (Pick 5 Gold Coast), Judson Clarke (Pick 30 Richmond) and Miller Bergman (Pick 38 North Melbourne). They’re not used to tasting success are they? (Tongue firmly in cheek).
NICK: I tell you what; it is a great place to play footy and learn about the game isn’t it? You only have to look at some of the players that have come out of Berwick, but I mean three in one draft is a fantastic effort, I think it just shows they are a cut above the rest in this area, Berwick.
Their professionalism, their development, and they’re flying in the Eastern Football League and continue to produce draftees.
TYLER: Yep and Dave, you have been around footy clubs for a long time, including Berwick. I could be wrong here, but I think the local club gets something like 10 grand from NAB when a kid gets drafted… how much of a difference would 30k – whatever that sum is – make to Berwick?
DAVE: Now that’s a big set up, Tyler. (Shakes head in disapproval). I am going to apologise in advance to Berwick president Glenn Gambetta because this is a stitch up…
But this is the last thing Berwick needs, an extra $30,000…
*Tyler and Nick laugh*
But I think this is a reflection on the Berwick Footy Club. We always got told it was going to be this urban spread; Berwick won’t be the last club that has this. Officer has a massive amount of juniors and we might see more of this happening in Officer. As it spreads, we might see this happen closer to Pakenham. I think this is a reflection on the numbers that have started to play football in the region.
TYLER: Nick; Connor MacDonald was also drafted to Hawthorn. You would’ve seen him play a lot for the good people down at the Doveton Football Club, what can you tell us about your knowledge of him because you did have your eyes on him before all the big journos at the AFL did, back when he was a teenager dominating for Dovey?
NICK: He made his senior debut against Pakenham, I think we mentioned it the other week when talking about him; those games aren’t for the faint-hearted.
He won the best on ground medal that day in his debut as a 16 year old. He has such exciting traits and he is – I think – exactly what Hawthorn need. But it’s a big moment for Doveton, to get a draftee through the door, they’ve moved to another league now and they’ve always been a club that is a blue collar, hard-working. He is a Doveton boy through and through, they’ll be very proud.
TYLER: Well that’s it from me in terms of topics, but Dave you have some things you’re looking forward to this weekend?
DAVE: Big events coming up. The Pakenham Cup, they’re expecting five or six thousand people out at the race course this week, people are ready to party after a couple of big years – we all know what we have been through.
Another one is the Pakenham Bowls Club this Friday night. They are trying something different and are having a pennant bowls game against Berwick, which will be live streamed. Bar open, BBQ sizzling, if anyone wants a relaxing night, get down to Pakenham around 6pm. If it goes well and proves popular, who knows what it might lead to.
TYLER: Well there you go, Nick. We know where Dave will be on Friday and Saturday!
That’s Let’s Talk Sport for this weekend boys, thanks for taking part, I will see you next week.
