Meet the clubs: All the contenders for the 2021-22 Grampians Cricket Association season

In 2021-22 six teams will form the A Grade competition, with Halls Gap and Chalambar stepping up, while St Andrew's will play in the B Grade.

To start the season, Twenty-20 matches will be the format of choice with clubs straight into it with two games each to be played at Stawell's Central Park and North Park to launch the season.

The reigning premiers have just one thing on their mind in 2021-22 as they pursue a fifth consecutive A Grade premiership.

A Swifts-Great Western spokesperson said the club was chasing history as it seeked to become the first club to win five flags in a row.

"We have been extremely lucky over the last few seasons with player numbers which has driven this success, but this year will be the most challenging," they said.

"We have had some player injuries through footy season which has put a dent in our bowling stocks losing Jayden McCartney, Charlie Nield, Jay Moody while and Chad Gilmore and Jamie Bach have moved.

The club are hoping to regain Charlie Neild around Christmas and Jamie Bach for some games when he returns home, but both will be limited.

"We feel we have had a young group of core players over the last few seasons in the B Grade like Will Clough and Aiden Graveson who could easily step back in if they dedicate themselves to the season.

"Along with these two we also have Judd Smith and Jack Cann who have come through our junior ranks into senior cricket the last few seasons.

Combine also have two returning allrounders with Tom Fitzgerald and Brady Miller back in Swifts-Great Western colours.

Buangor-Tatyoon captain Sam Cronin said after re-joining the club last season, he was honoured to be offered the captaincy.

"I was lucky enough to take on the captaincy this year," he said.

"I have spent a long time out of the game, I got back into it last year and loved it.

"I enjoy my time out in Tatyoon."

Cronin said the majority of last year's side has recommitted.

"We will be relatively the same as last year at the moment," he said.

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"A lot of blokes will be able to play depending on work and other commitments.

"Such as Ryan Bates and Peter Latham who is making his return from retirement."

Cronin said the club is determined to redeem last year's grand final loss.

"Obviously after last year's disappointment, we are looking to go one better," he said.

"Hopefully we can win a few games along the way and that can take us through until finals and go from there.

"There is still some good teams out there and some good players around the league, so we will just do what we can and get through till Christmas with a few wins under our belt and then reassess in the new year.

"The rest will take care of itself.

"We are looking forward to getting back out there and having a hit and enjoying ourselves."

Cronin said he expected James Phillips to have a breakout season.

"I expect big things from young James Phillips who is a good young off-spinner, he played an outstanding few matches last year, including the grand final," he said.

"I reckon this year he will go to that next step.

"I reckon he will start getting a few runs with that bat as well, I am looking forward to seeing what he can do with the ball and bat this year."

In 2021, Youth Club are out to improve with a fun and attacking form of cricket on the cards.

A Youth Club captain Nic Barid was optimistic when thinking about the season ahead, predicting the short format cricket will suit their attacking batsmen at the top of the order.

"One major out will be Cam Kimber who has moved to Ballarat we are hopeful he may be available here and there throughout the season," Baird said.

"Damon Folkes has also moved to Ballarat this year, but with these losses comes opportunities for the likes of Matt Healy, Harvey Evans and Koby Stewart to step forward and shoulder a lot of the bowling responsibilities.

"Ethan Marrow will hopefully be playing most weeks for us this season so that will see another strong batter join the order.

"We are hopeful of making finals this season with the aim to push the top two sides from last year."

After a season in B Grade with two teams battling it out, Halls Gap will make the step back up into A Grade for the 2021-22 season.

Halls Gap president Luke Stevens said the club was ready to make the leap.

"We're really looking forward to the challenge of A grade again," he said.

"We've recruited pretty well over the last few years and developed our junior squad and been able to retain the majority of all those players. I'm hoping we might surprise a few other clubs this season

"We're excited and it's something we had already been considering doing anyway as we felt we learnt a lot from last year in B Grade and got some confidence back into our group.

"The GCA have been an incredible support for us last season enabling us to still field two senior sides and not have to compete in A Grade so we were more than happy to assist.

"I'm looking forward to watching Lachie Smart, Max McMahon and Josh Leith.

"We have a good group of young bowlers too led by Lachie Smart and Riley Thomas with plenty of support from Jayde McMurtrie and Dillon Micallef who both improved tremendously last year as well."

Chalambar Cricket Club president Matt McKinnis said he was pleasantly surprised the club was able to win the B Grade premiership last season.

"Winning last year's grand final, surprised us," he said.

"We probably weren't the strongest side in the competition.

"We always knew we had the depth to do it, we all played a part during the year."

McKinnis said he doesn't think the side will be out of their depth in A Grade.

"It's a big step up going up to A Grade, we will still be competitive.

"We are going to be a pretty young side.

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"Pretty much we have got the same side as last year, when we won the B Grade Grand Final.

McKinnis said he expected the same faces to shine for Chalambar.

"I'd probably say Reece Kettle, he is a wicket-keeper batmen, every year he is developing and getting stronger in his game," he said.

"He will definitely be one to keep an eye out for.

"Another one to look out for is Reece Walker, him and Reece (Kettle) are both joint captains this year.

"He (Reece Walker) leads from the front with bat and ball."

In the foothills of the Grampians, Pomonal Cricket Club are quietly building momentum ahead of the 2021-22 season.

In the previous season, Pomonal were up and down, with two wins recorded for the year.

Their best day of the 2020-21 season came as Pomonal defeated the Combine by 50 runs.

Led by Clayton Mackley's 70 and a mix of wicket takers, Pomonal recorded the highlight of their season.

And they will be hoping for a suite of similar performances in the 2020-21 competition.

Having kept their place in the A Grade competition, Pomonal will be hoping Lynden Brewis and Clayton Mackley can guide the way with the bat once again.

While Lachie Green and Patrick Frawley will hold the greatest responsibility with the ball.

There is also an injury cloud hanging over young gun Lachie Dalkin, and it remains to be seen if he will take the field for Pomonal in the 2021-22 season.

St Andrews Cricket Club president James Hosking said he is excited to see the club improve this season, after being relegated to B Grade.

"Our goal will be to get back into A Grade, we will see how we go," he said.

"If we are going to make it back up to A Grade we need to improve our batting.

"It will be good to get back into it.

"It is a good opportunity for some younger blokes to step up and get an opportunity."

Hosking said the club is short on numbers, on the eve of the season.

"We have lost David Haslett and got a few more who are injured so we are a bit low on numbers at the moment," he said

"Although, in some good news, we have got a couple players in.

"Daniel Collins and James Menzies have joined us this season."

Hosking said he expects big things from one of the club's young stars this season.

"I think Tom Mills can go to another level this year," he said.

"Club captain Riley Taylor should have a massive season too."

Rhymney- Moyston committee member Trevor Quick said the club is eager to avenge their grand final loss.

"I would like to think we can win it, but cricket is such a funny game," he said.

"I am pretty up beat about what the season is going to bring for us.

"I think the top four in B Grade will be very even.

"We are looking better this year."

Quick said the club has recruited three new players, headlined by wicket-keeper Eddie Malpas.

"They are very talented cricketers and I think they will add the X- factor to our team this season," he said.

"They are all very much here for the long-term I think."

Quick said the club needs to be more consistent this season.

"The semi-final last year was probably the best game we have played in 10 years and the grand final was probably one of the worst games we have played in 10 years," he said.

"I think the biggest thing for us is batting, we just didn't make enough runs."

Quick said Glenn Cosgriff and Nathan Quick are looking primed for a big season.

"Glenn (Cosgriff) I think should be set for a breakout year this season, he is a young opening bowler who just improves all the time, he is just terrific," he said.

"Nathan (Quick) has done extremely well to be where he is at.

"Chris Allen is a class act as an opening batsmen and we have got a couple promising spinners in Dan Walker and Matthew Dean."

Navarre Cricket Club's Gary Hannett said players were starting to put their hand up to play as the season grew closer.

Placed into B Grade for the 2021-22 season, Hannett said there "was a bit of a way to go" to get back into the A Grade competition, but it would be a long-term aim for the club.

"We've got some players returning this year such as Tom Hannett, Riley Bibby and Leo McKenzie after Christmas," he said.

"We've had a few training sessions that went well so far this year and we're confident most weeks we'll have strong numbers."

Hannett said in the previous season he felt COVID-19 restrictions which caused the cancellation of the football season helped boost numbers across the board.

"This was the case last year particularly with some clubs in the competition," he said.

"It will be interesting to see if it happens again this year given the football season finished early.

"It hasn't really impacted us, at Navarre, too much."

Navarre are pencilled in to take on Buangor-Tatyoon in the first round of the season - who at the time of publishing were not certain if they would get a second side into the competition so could force Navarre to have a bye and ease their way into the 2021-22 season.

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