Tigers to hunt for first flag in 19 years

TORQUAY Cricket Club is on the verge of its first cricket premiership since 2004, but in its way is a tough Murgheboluc Frogs outfit fresh off a dominant win against Geelong City.

The Tigers’ last premiership win came in the 2003/04 season against Bell Post Hill, which current captain Terry Hill was a part of, but he is confident his side’s late-season form will provide a necessary challenge against an in-form Frogs side in the GCA2 decider.

“We’ve been fairly consistent of late, which has been good. I’m also wary of Murgheboluc though, given the game they’ve just come off,” Hill said.

“They’ve got five or six players who can take a game away from you pretty quickly, which makes them very dangerous.”

Torquay finished second on the GCA2 ladder, then beating top side Geelong City in a Semi Final thriller to advance directly to the Grand Final with a week off.

Torquay bowled out City for 179 with the final ball of the game, winning by just two runs.

The Tigers will be led by coach Leigh Kentish who has a fair idea of what it takes to succeed on Grand Final day.

Kentish co-coached GCA1 club St Joseph’s between 2013 and 2016, winning back-to-back premierships in 2013/14 and 2014/15. He was also a part of Anglesea’s 2020/21 BPCA premiership.

Hoping to end its 19-year drought, Hill hopes a new generation of Tigers can take on the mantle of ‘premiers’, one that former players have started to grow weary of.

“I was around the club back then and it was a great moment in our history,” Hill added.

“Speaking to some of the players from that team recently, they’ve said to me that they feel it’s time to pass on their mantle. There’s a bit of responsibility on us to make the most of the opportunity. I definitely feel like it’s time.”

Hill and his side is hoping the Surf Coast faithful are eager to make the trip down to Leopold Memorial Park this Saturday.

“We’d love to see as many Torquay supporters as we can over at Leopold,” Hill said.

“It would be great to see past players and members of the community there, it would give us a real lift I think.”

The Grand Final between Torquay and Murgheboluc begins at 11.30am.

The club is planning to run a supporter bus to and from Leopold on Saturday. To enquire about booking a seat on the bus, email [email protected]