Warrnambool export Tommy Jackson reflects on "tough" 2021-22 and renewed mindset ahead of season

The former Victorian rookie has only been back home for a few weeks, having spent four months in Darwin improving his game and taking stock personally after a "tough" 2021-22 season which saw him lose his state contract and recover from a serious knee injury.

The Geelong-based cricketer said his venture to the Top End was one of the most rewarding experiences and given him confidence for the Premier Cricket season ahead with the Cats.

"It's probably the best I've felt coming into a season," he told The Standard.

"It was tough finding out I'd lost my contract and going away to where I don't know too many people.

"It was good but also challenging - I had a good support crew up there which was good. I had a great time up there and got out of it what I wanted and coming back feeling really good for the season."

The North Warrnambool Eels product - who quite extraordinarily began his Premier Cricket journey with a century on debut for Geelong - is a proven run machine with 1698 runs and five centuries across 49 first XI matches.

He said in previous years he had put pressure on himself to "impress" within the state system and wanted to strip back his game and enjoy his cricket at club level.

"I sat down and reflected on the last few years, what I could do better and to be fair, I haven't ticked anything with my cricket, it's about mindset and my approach to certain things," he said.

"I have a bit of a different look at things now. I probably got caught up a bit with the pressure of what comes with being in the (state) system.

"I probably didn't handle the pressure as I would have liked. There's a lot of people you're trying to impress which can be a good thing and bad thing."

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Jackson's Cats take on Greenvale Kangaroos in round one of the Premier season on Saturday October 1 at home and the right-hander is just looking to contribute.

"I've got a good feeling with Meyrick Buchanan coming in especially. We've got a lot of young people coming into the club now so it's a bit of a different look," he said.

"It's my fifth or sixth year at Geelong now so just trying to put everything into the club now and do whatever I can for my club."

Geelong Cricket Club director of men's cricket Travis Agg said the "change" in Jackson's mindset had been obvious since his return in the past few weeks.

"Without speaking for him, he probably got a bit overwhelmed by the overarching concept of having to perform and forgot about what it takes to be settled and perform," he said.

"There's a big change in him which is pleasing - he's come back so mature. He wants to invest more in the club and be a good team person first and foremost and be settled off-field which will help him on.

"Ideally we'd like him to win a contract back with Victoria, and if for some reason they've put a line through him then whatever his performances look like other states could have a look at him. Ideally we want him in a state system, that's why we exist."

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