Weston Creek Molonglo has embarked on an impressive off-season recruiting spree to emerge as one of the favourites for the Cricket ACT first-grade season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Adelaide Strikers opener Jono Dean and Comets all-rounder Blake Dean are the two big additions to a Creek side already boasting evergreen batsman Cade Brown and quality paceman Michael Delaney.
Creek hosts Eastlake in the opening round of the Gallop Cup on Saturday at Stirling Oval in the first test to see if the new signings can make an immediate impact.
Queanbeyan has had a mass exodus from its playing ranks, with the Dean brothers and all-rounder Adam Heading joining the Creek and Vele Dukoski and Josh Bennett moving to Eastlake.
The 50-over and Twenty20 formats of the game will suit Creek's strong batting line-up, but there are question marks over whether there is enough depth in the team's bowling attack for the two-day fixtures.
Creek batsman Brentyn Wilson, who returns this season after missing most of last summer with a dislocated shoulder, said the club was comfortable with the pressure of having the favourites tag.
"We've got high expectations," he said. "It's always good to have that calibre of players come across to the club.
"We've got the right balance of young and old, experience and young fellas, so we're looking for a good year."
Eastlake will again be in the mix for the silverware, bringing in Comets duo Dukoski and Bennett, along with Australian under-19 fast bowler Lain Beckett, to fill the void left by the departures of Danushka Wijesundara (Adelaide), Matt Gawthrop (Newcastle), Mick Shaw (retired) and Pete O'Callaghan (retired).
Eastlake captain Adam Tett said the large amount of movement among the clubs was a good thing for the competition.
"The loyalties are still there, it's just a matter of the players wanting to do the best thing for themselves and their opportunities," he said. "You can't begrudge a player if they want to get to a club with better opportunities and culture."
Wests/UC will have to defend its two-day and Twenty20 titles without talented batsman Matt Condon and wicket-keeper Beau McClintock, as both are playing their club cricket in Sydney.
The side will also be without captain Ben Oakley for the start of the season with an arm injury.
"We've lost our 'keeper and two of our top four bats, so we're trying to develop our young players to fill those positions," Oakley said. "Losing a couple of players like that is going to be a hit to our team. We probably won't be quite as strong as the past couple of years, but we'll still give it a shake."
SATURDAY: Gallop Cup: Ginninderra v Tuggeranong Valley at Kippax 2. Weston Creek Molonglo v Eastlake at Stirling Oval. North Canberra Gungahlin v Queanbeyan at Harrison 2. ANU v Western District UC at ANU North. All games at 11am.