FOOTSCRAY-EDGEWATER Cricket Club captain Dean Russ doesn’t want to hear any excuses.
He knows he is in charge of a young team but that doesn’t change the fact the Bulldogs’ Premier Cricket season has come to a premature end.
Despite finishing the season with an impressive outright win against Casey-South Melbourne, Footscray missed out on finals and finished in 12th spot on the ladder.
“It annoys me a bit to hear that we are a young group,” he said.
“I have been hearing that since I was 18 at the club. We can’t hide away from that any more.
“Our goal was to play finals and we didn’t achieve that so that is something that, as a group, we have recognised and we are pretty hungry for next season.”
It was a roller coaster season for Footscray who, at times matched it with some of the elite talent in the competition, but also found itself on the end of some disappointing losses.
The shorter format of the game gave the Bulldogs’ players the most headaches and was ultimately where the season slipped away.
Footscray won just three of its six T20 fixtures and two of its six one-day fixtures to fall well outside the top eight.
Russ said the club’s form in limited overs cricket was disappointing given the strong finish to the season.
“The shorter form of the game really stood out for me,” he said.
“There were games we should have won but we lost and that is something we need to recognise and work towards next season.
“Post-Christmas we … took it to Ringwood, we were there and thereabouts against Fitzroy. We knocked off the reigning premiers and we beat South Melbourne outright who were pushing finals. “That is huge for us but ultimately there were a few performances that weren’t anywhere near up to scratch and that cost us.”
With the off-season just beginning, Russ highlighted the importance of keeping the playing group together as the Bulldogs look to improve their consistency.
“I have really tried to stress to the group how important it is to keep that continuity in the side and really make sure we stay together,” he said.
“The past few years it feels like we have lost a few players here and there and it feels like you need to rebuild, not massively but just that little bit.
“If we can have that core group of 15 staying together over the next few years it just makes things that little bit easier.”
