New-look West Warrnambool side ready for 2023-24 WDCA campaign

The Panthers, coming off a finals campaign in 2022-23, kick off their season on Saturday, October 7 with an away clash against Merrivale.

Fowler, who has been re-appointed as the Panthers' mentor and will again play a key role with the ball in his hand, said it was going to be a fascinating season.

"It's definitely come around very, very quickly (the cricket season), it jumps up on you a little bit," he said.

"It's been one of the biggest off-season movements I've seen for a while, you usually see a couple of top-end players leave every year but there's been a lot.

"Russells Creek's probably copped the brunt of it but that probably happens when you've been up as long as you can. Clubs will look to pinch your players when you're successful and that's just part of it.

"It's going to be quite interesting to see."

Fowler, who took 17 wickets last season, said his division one squad would be "pretty similar".

Promising leggie Hayden McGovern has departed to the Northern Raiders, though Panthers have landed Tyler's brother Isaac, who took 18 wickets in South West Cricket division one for Woorndoo. They are also expected to have Zimbabwe wicket-keeper Daniel Zvidvai for a handful of matches this season as he navigates his studies.

Fowler said it would be tough to replace the output of former club coach Alastair Templeton after the new Port Fairy mentor scored 470 runs last season but was backing in a promising opener to stand up.

"It is hard to replace someone like him (Alastair Templeton), being around as long as he was," he said.

"It probably gives someone like Charlie Blacker an opportunity to step up a bit more in that opening position.

"It'd be nice to recruit a couple more but you don't always land them."

Fowler confirmed gun batter Ben Threlfall would retain the captaincy, with highly-regarded all-rounder Justin Snow to also take on a leadership role.

"Benny will captain again and with the help of Justin Snow will look after things on a Saturday which is exciting," he said.

"Benny's got better at it every year, and with the experience, talent and cricket knowledge of Snowy I think they'll work really, really well together."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: