THE challenge of leading the Koroit Cricket Club into a new era of prosperity has lured Aaron Moyne to the helm of the division two and three outfit.
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The 26-year-old town planner will coach the Saints, while Yambuk recruit Patrick Sinnott will also join for the upcoming Warrnambool and District Cricket Association season.
Originally from Adelaide, Moyne said the decision to leave the Meerkats was among the toughest of his playing career.
But strong links to the community, formed through his association with the football club, made the decision easier to come to terms with.
“Being a resident of Koroit and working in Port Fairy just meant things were a bit more feasible, but I formed some really strong relationships with people at Grassmere and I really enjoyed playing cricket there,” he told The Standard.
“I’ve played with Grassmere for the last four of five seasons, since I moved from Adelaide, so it was such a tough decision to leave a place that you’re a part of for so long.
“But I’m really excited about what is here at Koroit. I play for the footy side and coach the reserves so I’m looking forward to building the foundations set by the previous coach and players in the town’s cricket club.”
Moyne is set to take the helm from Dom Johnson, who left the club for Melbourne in March after leading the Saints to a WDCA division two semi-final appearance in his only season in the job.
The talented footballer said the long-term goal of his leadership would be to launch a bid for the club to field a division one side within three years.
In the short term, however, Moyne said the club would look to build on a solid 2015/16 season.
“I think we’ve definitely got the ability in the playing stocks to have a real go this year,” he said.
“In the short term, we’ll focus on starting and preparing for the season well. Hopefully I’ll be able to get an understanding of some of our strengths and weaknesses and help the boys develop their game.
“But the overall aim for the club has to be getting a division one side. We want to develop our younger players and get a strong balance of experience in the club.”
He said the signing of opening batsman Patrick Sinnott would be critical in the Saints’ bid for on-field success.
“Paddy and I have had some fierce battles in the Grassmere Cricket Association over the past few years,” he said.
“He’s really developed his game as a anchoring batsman and proved he can score runs with 500 or 600 runs last season.”
Sinnott scored 617 runs at an average of 51.42 for Yambuk last season.
