Bryan McLeod is confident Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Bowls Club can be competitive in midweek division one pennant play this summer.
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The reigning division two premier was promoted to the top grade following an undefeated 2021/22 campaign, with McLeod a member of the winning team.
"It was a good experience for us," McLeod said of the 61-58 grand final win against City Pearls in March.
McLeod, who will line up as a third on skip Martin Brown's rink in Tuesday's season opener, said competing in the top division was a challenge the club was looking forward to.
"Hopefully we'll be competitive and everyone puts their bowl down and hopes it goes where it's suppose to," he said.
Hopefully we'll be competitive and everyone puts their bowl down and hopes it goes where it's suppose to.
- Bryan McLeod
McLeod, 77, grew up watching his father Albert play lawn bowls at the club but never thought he would take up the sport one day.
"I came down here when I was very young to watch," he said. "I thought, what are they doing, bowling and walking up there and back?"
McLeod, a former rover for South Warrnambool and Bushfield, said he was convinced by former Lawn Tennis club president Bill Dooley to play a game some 10 years ago and has never left.
Making up the eight-team midweek division one fixture is back-to-back reigning premier Timboon, last summer's grand finalist Koroit, two City Memorial sides, along with Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Terang.
McLeod said he was looking forward to playing alongside new faces.
"To meet different people, it'll be nice," he said.
He said his teammates had stayed in good nick through social bowls over winter, with pennant training picking up steam in the past fortnight.
"Everyone's looking back into form, we've started our 100-Up and our men's and ladies pairs is on at the moment," McLeod said.
Lawn Tennis will welcome City Sapphires to their greens in round one, while City Diamonds host Koroit at City Memorial.
Warrnambool will meet Port Fairy while Timboon plays Terang.
In the lower grades, Lawn Tennis boasts a division two side and two division three teams in midweek pennant, while Dennington and Mortlake play in the division two competition. Play begins Tuesday from 9.30 am.
The weekend pennant season starts on Saturday from 1pm, with Lawn Tennis fielding a division one side after promotion and relegation was scrapped for the division one competition. All 10 clubs will field a team in the premier grade, which was won by City Red last summer. The weekend competition will shift from five divisions to four.
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Meg Saultry
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
