Parkers aiming to get back on track

Mark Casey. (Damjan Janevski). 260347_05

Tara Murray

Deer Park will continue to work hard as it tries to get back in the mix in the Bowls Victorian weekend pennant premier division.

The Parkers sit 2-3 as the division had a bye on the weekend, with the competition throwing up a lot of different results.

Deer Park Club’s head of bowls operations Mark Casey said they weren’t hitting the panic stations at this stage.

The side currently sits in sixth spot, 11 points outside the top four after five rounds.

“To be honest, we would have loved to have another win or two on the board however we understand it’s a tough competition and it’s a very long season so we just need to keep working hard,” he said. “The results will come if we do.

“The pleasing thing is that while the results haven’t gone our way, the work has still been there from the guys so we know things can turn around pretty quickly.

“As a whole club, we have started the season off really well, three out of our six teams are currently in top spot so it’s been a great start overall.”

Casey said that the group needed to remain positive across the board and that improvement will come with confidence.

He said their second win of the season against Mentone, was a result they hoped would kick start the season.

“We knew we needed to put in a big effort against Mentone so we were very happy to come away with 16 points.

“We are currently in sixth position so we aren’t far from the pace so hopefully that was the win we needed.”

There is a competition wide bye across the pennant competition due to the Victorian Open being played.

Carli Morrison, Jay Bye-Norris, Sara Rodger, Kevin Booker, Judy Nardella, Leigh Henderson, Ricky Orchard, Luke Spargo, Aaron Ward, Scott Fletcher and Tony Nardella are among the Deer Park bowlers competing at the open.

Casey said it would be a big match in round six.

“Our premier league side comes up against Bundoora [RSL], who on paper are one of the teams to beat.

“We play them on Sunday 27th November at 1pm at home, and all international marquee players from both sides (Aron Sherriff, Ryan Bester, Sean Ingham, Aaron Teys, Corey Wedlock and Gary Kelly) will be playing so it promises to be a beauty.

“If we can beat Bundoora we will be right back in the mix.”