By Tara Murray
There’s plenty of fire in the belly for Gisborne ahead of the Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s McIntyre Cup Premier Firsts season.
Missing finals last season after back-to-back premierships has sparked the Dragons into action.
Coach Glenn Waites said the players have driven a lot of the pre-season.
“A lot of things didn’t go our way last season, including losing points,” he said.
“We had six players lost from our first XI from the season before and we dropped games we shouldn’t have dropped.
“We’ve had a longer pre-season this year and that has been driven by the players. I put out a pre-season plan and the senior players wanted it revised and added a few things in.
“It’s been amazing support on and off the field and we’ve taken some strong steps forward.”
On top of a strong pre-season, the Dragons have added a lot more depth this season.
The competition was restructured because a number of clubs wanted to drop grades. The Dragons will field sides in the top three grades and grade five.
Waites said there was a lot of enthusiasm in the group, with several players returning after a season off.
Jason Wilson, who was club champion in 2016-17, returns, while Clinton Young, who only played one McIntyre Cup game after an injury interrupted season, is another who the Dragons will see more of.
Daniel Trevillian, another premiership player, is also back.
Jayben Bannan, who has been playing at Williamstown, also returns to the club, along with his father Tim Bannan.
The club has also signed West Indian quick Recordo Gordon.
Waites said Gordon is already a club favourite.
“He will be enormous for us and is really popular,” he said.
“He has a bit of zip.”
Gordon replaces Danza Hyatt, who has joined Darley to play turf cricket.
Hyatt is the main out, while Braden Spear is having a year off and Geordy Nolan won’t play a full season because of study commitments.
Waites said there was also some young talent coming through.
Joel Garbutt is one player that Waites has high hopes for believes he would benefit from having Gordon as a mentor.
Matt and Josh McDonald, Ash Shaw and Harry Thomas are others that are pushing through the ranks.
Waites said after the disappointment of the previous season, making finals was the minimum of that they wanted to achieve.
The Dragons start their season with a one-dayer against Woodend on Saturday.
