Tara Murray
Deer Park has exceeded early season expectations in the Bowls Victoria premier division weekend pennant.
With a number of new faces and a last minute adjustment to playing on the outside greens, the club wasn’t sure how they would go early on.
The Parkers are cemented in the top four after five rounds, having won four of their five matches.
Parkers’ head of bowls operation and skip Mark Casey said they were happy with how they had started the season.
“We’ve got a new team together and they haven’t played together before,” he said.
“We’ve gone better than what most people would have thought we would. There’s a lot of talent, it’s about putting it together.
“There’s a lot of confidence in the team.”
Casey said their most recent win against Melbourne was one that would help set up their season.
The Parkers defeated last season’s premiers by 35 shots, winning three of the four rinks in the process.
Casey said the result gives them a bit of an indication of where they are sitting in the competition at this early stage.
“They are one of the best teams in the competition,” he said.
“If we can win our last match before Christmas, it will be a great start.”
Casey said James Pearce, who has skipped the last two weeks, and big name signing Aaron Teys have been two of the standards.
Tim Cromie is another who has had a strong season.
The rink of Casey, Tim and Koby Cromie, and Neil Smith is undefeated for the Parkers this season and is currently ranked the best in the premier division.
“It’s a bit of a team effort,” Casey said. “Everyone is doing their job.”
Casey said the good start to the season means they are on track for their goal of playing finals this year.
“To finish top two, that is the ultimate goal and it gives us a good chance. We are right on track for what we want to do.”
The club on Wednesday announced the signing of bowls legend Gary Kelly for the second half of the season.
Casey said the club’s second side was also having a really good season, while their thirds weren’t far off the mark.
“There have been a lot of changes, but it’s really exciting.”
Meanwhile the club is still waiting to hear when it’s state of the art dome will be repaired. The dome was damaged in recent storms.
Casey said it would be a while before the dome was repaired.
“We’re still out on the grass [greens],” he said. There have been a lot of changes to matches and people getting used to it.
“We’re trying to work through it.”
