2022-23 club-by-club BDCA season preview: SANDHURST

The Dragons have added some top-end talent to their list with the additions of former captain Taylor Beard and Nick Gladman as they eye off a return to finals action.

Since winning the 2018 premiership the Dragons have missed the finals in the following four seasons, but coach Dylan Gibson is confident the side has what it takes to seriously challenge for a top-four berth.

Unfortunately though for all-rounder Gibson, he is going to have to be an on-looker for at least the first half of the season after suffering an ACL injury playing football with Harcourt earlier this year.

"I'm going to give myself every chance of playing after Christmas, but that will all depend on the rehab," Gibson said.

Beard rejoins Sandhurst following the past two seasons playing back at the Echuca Cricket Club - and doing so at a high standard as proven by his selection in last season's VCCL Team of the Year, as well as winning back-to-back Goulburn Murray Cricket Association medals.

And Gladman returns to Weeroona Oval from Premier Cricket club Essendon.

"Getting Taylor and Nick back is huge for us," Gibson said.

"They both bat and bowl and will have a huge impact for us; both are quality cricketers.

"Beardy is such a fierce competitor and doesn't let anyone get on top of him and Nick has really honed his craft down at Essendon.

"We've had a couple of practice matches and it has been really impressive the way Nick has been bowling and I think he's going to be a challenge to bat against."

Also joining the Dragons this season is 19-year-old Englishman Will Barnham.

"Will has a bit of pace about him and is going to be quite slippery, so we will have a few options with the ball in terms of our pace with Will, Beardy, Nick and Ben Yarwood, who was our leading wicket-taker last season," Gibson said.

"For the past few years we've mainly gone in with spinners, so it will be nice to have a few seam options up the sleeve."

As well as the four seam options, the Dragons also have the spin of leggie Ben Evans and left-armer Kendrick Hatton.

The Dragons also have Liam Stubbings coming across from Kangaroo Flat, while the departure list features all-rounder Anthony McMahon, who has returned to Moama, and spinner Nathan Walsh, who has crossed to Eaglehawk.

"I feel overall we're looking fairly strong this season," Gibson said.

"With the bat we've still got our top end players in Joel Murphy, Ash Gray, Ben Leed is probably going to make my spot at the top of the order... we've recruited well and I feel we're a much more rounded side in terms of balance.

"Joel (Murphy) will captain the side again. He is getting better each season in terms of leading and this is as keen as I've seen him given he probably didn't have the year with the bat he would have like runs-wise last season.

"He's had a really strong pre-season and we're expecting him to really enjoy the return of the red ball.

"We think we've got some good depth this year with guys like Jack Ryan, Kayde Howard and Zac Sims who are really pushing for spots, so there should be some good competition."

ROUND 1

October 8-15

v Golden Square (h)

Match abandoned

............................................

ROUND 2

October 29

v Kangaroo Flat (a)

............................................

ROUND 3

November 5-12

v Eaglehawk (a)

............................................

ROUND 4

November 19-26

v Strathfieldsaye (h)

............................................

ROUND 5

December 3-4

v White Hills (a)

............................................

ROUND 6

December 10-17

v Huntly North (h)

............................................

ROUND 7

January 7

v Kangaroo Flat (h)

............................................

ROUND 8

January 14

v Golden Square (h)

............................................

ROUND 9

January 21

v Eaglehawk (h)

............................................

ROUND 10

January 28

v Bendigo United (a)

............................................

ROUND 11

February 4-5

v Bendigo United (h)

............................................

ROUND 12

February 11-18

v Bendigo (a)

............................................

ROUND 13

February 25-26

v Strathdale (a)

............................................

Finished - 7th

Record - 7-9

Bat - 7th Ball - 10th

............................................

Leading run-scorers:

442 - Ash Gray

383 - Dylan Gibson

383 - Joel Murphy

346 - Ben Leed

259 - Jasper Langley

............................................

Leading wicket-takers:

25 - Ben Yarwood

20 - Ben Evans

17 - Anthony McMahon

13 - Kendrick Hatton

11 - Dylan Gibson

............................................

Leading MVP points:

708 - Dylan Gibson

702 - Ash Gray

577 - Ben Yarwood

515 - Anthony McMahon

453 - Joel Murphy

............................................

Eaglehawk

Golden Square

Huntly North

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: