After a winless 2024-25 campaign that resulted in the wooden spoon, Nondies-Cohuna has made some minor changes this preseason to get off the bottom of the McMahon Shield ladder.

For starters, last season’s captain, Kyeran Ellery, has stepped aside while still maintaining his role as cricket operations manager for the club.

Nondies stalwart Josh Novoselek will lead the group this season, with Patrick Doyle and young gun Xavier Wishart serving as his deputies.

While the club has lost some of its talent from last season, including Will Ringin, Shaun Haffenden, Aidan Konopka, Matt Noonan and Blake Watts, it has gained serious firepower for the looming campaign.

The club has looked abroad and secured the talents of Jamal Sukhon from New Zealand and Matt Oddie from the UK along with local boy Brodie Bennett from Deniliquin.

Neil Bradley will lead the group as coach this season, with the club opting for a more player-led coaching set up.

“(Preseason has) been really good actually, it’s been a little bit of a challenge with footy going fairly deep for a few of our players, but at least they’re still doing something.” Ellery said.

“We’ve realigned as a club with where we want to go, what we would like to do and what our key targets and philosophies are as a club.

“The numbers look really good and there’s a really positive vibe around the place currently, so it’s been great.”

Ellery outlined the aims for the group this season and emphasised the desire to create a tight-knit playing group, with the aim of going a long way to the team winning games this season.

“We ended up on the bottom of the ladder, which as a club, that’s not where we want to be, and it didn’t sit real well with us,” Ellery said.

“So for us, the aim is just to be really competitive and win as many games as we can, which is as obvious as it sounds, but it’s about having enjoyment while we do it.

“I think if you’re not enjoying it, you’re not winning games of cricket and vice versa.

“It’s about creating that tight group and being competitive and throwing everything we can at it, but making sure we’re having fun along the way.

“We’re pleased to have the bye in round one because it gives everyone that extra week to just get ready.

“It will hold us in good stead as we push into round one and beyond.”

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Friday, 10th September 2027

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