THREE south-west cricket exports will be part of Geelong Cricket Club's efforts to secure its maiden Victorian Premier Cricket premiership.
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Woodford's Tommy Jackson and Nirranda pair Tim Ludeman and Brody Couch will feature in the Cats' first XI which plays Carlton in a three-day decider at Melbourne's Junction Oval starting Friday.
The trio played a big part in ensuring Geelong cleared the final hurdle to get into the decider in the preliminary last weekend against Fitzroy-Doncaster.
Jackson made a handy 31 at number five and Ludeman, batting at number seven, added 17 to the Cats' impressive first innings total of 8-421.
Couch tore the game apart with the ball in the second innings as he claimed 5-44 to seal the the 201-run victory and the spot against the Blues in the finale.
But this week is another story for the 19-year-old, who is playing in his first senior grand final.
"I've just got to keep it simple and go back to the basics I know," he said. "Just bowling to my plans and all the stuff I have been doing."
The right-arm fast bowler said the Cats would enter the decider as underdogs.
"We have got nothing to lose as we have played them a couple of times this year and they did a number on us," he said.
"We're the underdogs but there is still pressure because it's the second grand final that the club has been in."
The last final the club appeared in was in 2007-08 when Ringwood Cricket Club claimed the flag with a 138-run victory.
But Couch, who works as a landscaping labourer, said the Cats would keep their focus internally.
"We prefer to just do what we do well and focus on us and not on the opposition as I think if we play how we have and back ourselves there is no reason why we can't win," he said.
Couch said he was excited to continue his good form with Jackson, 18, and Ludeman, 31, by his side on Friday.
"My year has been up and down. I had an alright start to the year and last couple of months have been down and I haven't been as good as I would have liked but I'm keen for tomorrow," he said.
"The club is buzzing and everyone is excited and very keen to play. We have some experienced in our team but we still have got to try and treat it like another game."
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
