Melton is hoping the development achieved over the past year, and the addition of some experience, will help it be more competitive in Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association this season.
The Lions struggled for much of last season after losing several of their experienced players. The club started to look to the future and put their faith in the young generation.
They finished 13th in the south-west division with two wins.
Most of those younger players are back and will team up with some familiar faces who have returned to the club to form a new coaching panel.
Nathan Geisler is back after 12 months off and will again be the coach. Geisler coached the club in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
“It has been good being back,” he said. “I was still involved with the club in an off-field role last year and I spoke to the club about coming back and just playing. It progressed from there [and led to coaching]. There’s a great bunch of young kids and that’s what excites me.”
Geisler will be joined by former Lions Ben MacRae and Ash Sweet.
MacRae spent the past 12 years playing with premier cricket side Essendon, while Sweet, who will also be an assistant coach, returns from Carlton.
“It’s the core group of kids we’ll be looking [at] for improvement,” Geisler said.
“I’m back and with Ben and Ash … good senior heads. I don’t think either has missed a session.
“It’s good for the kids to have players like them at the club.”
Geisler said Andrew Zenonos, who hurt a knee while playing football, would miss this season, but the rest of the players from the previous season’s group looked like they would be returning.
While the addition of Geisler , MacRae and Sweet will boost the side, the coach says the biggest improvement will come from the younger players.
“The results didn’t go our way, but we weren’t outplayed on too many times,” he said of last season.
“We were still fairly competitive and are expecting to be much more competitive this year.
“Jake Thornton-Gielen missed last year and he will return.
“Dylan Clarke, who bowls a bit of spin and medium pace, and Tom Button, who kept and opened the batting [last season] are players we’re looking for improvement from.”
Giesler said the focus on youth would continue to flow through all the club’s sides.
“With another 12 months under their belts, they’ll all be more competitive,” he said.
The Lions senior side will start their east-west division season on October 8 against Bayswater.
