Five Goulburn Murray Bowls Region products are set to don the famed Big V, as Victoria announced its squads for its upcoming clashes against Tasmania and New South Wales.
In the open category, former Shepparton Golf mentor Brad Orr will take his place in the men’s team and Tatura-Hill Top young gun Olivia Cartwright will line up for the women’s side.
While in the over-60 division Tocumwal Golf’s Chris Philpot will suit up for the men’s team, while Numurkah Golf pair Loris Houlihan and Lidija Patching will take their place in women’s clash.
The two open teams will host Tasmania at Karingal Bowls Club from July 1-3, while the over-60s will face NSW at Moama Bowls Club on August 5-6.
In other news, Kyabram continued its busy off-season, recruiting former East Shepparton mentor Brent Reiner for season 2022-23.
A stalwart of the Goulburn Valley Playing Area, Reiner joins Shepparton Golf young gun Connor Trewren and Eagles teammate Geoff Beattie in making the transition to the Bombers, who will be hoping to improve on their third-placed Allan Matheson Shield finish last season.
While in the Bowls Premier League, Moama Steamers’ bid for a third title fell at the elimination stage against Tasmania Tridents at Pine Rivers Bowls Club late last month.
Sporting a new-look team, Moama qualified for finals in fourth spot with a 10-8 record, but the Steamers were outclassed by the dominant Tridents 3-15 in the elimination final.
The Tridents were then bested by home team Brisbane Pirates before the Pirates, once again boasting the presence of star bowler Alex Marshall, had their campaign come to an end at the hands of Melbourne Extreme.
It was an all-Melbourne showdown in the final, with Extreme and Melbourne Pulse going head-to-head.
Both sides traded sets before going to a thrilling tiebreak, with the Pulse taking out the tournament with a one-shot win in the tiebreak end.
There was a silver lining for the Steamers, with Aron Sherriff making an immediate impact for Moama in his first outing.
Sherriff added a remarkable fifth BPL MVP accolade to his name after a stellar tournament, as well as a spot on the BPL All-Star team.
It’s back-to-back MVPs for Sherriff after he was named the top BPL performer at Moama earlier in the year, when he was a member of Gold Coast Hawks.
For Moama’s Natasha Van Eldik, it was a refreshing change of pace for herself and teammate Ryan Bester to be competing alongside Sherriff as opposed to against him.
“It’s much nicer to be on his team than against him, which I have been in the past,” Van Eldik told the Riverine Herald.
“He’s one of the most decorated bowlers in Australia and in the world. On this Pine Rivers carpet he’s a magician.
“Ryan (Bester) and I just seem to get them around about the jack and we just watch his magic as he rolls them down.”
Van Eldik admits it would have been ideal to go one better than BPL14, where Moama was runner-up.
But the Steamers will have another chance at BPL16 in November, with Pine Rivers set to host once again.
“To win it with this team would have been phenomenal and to give back to Moama, who support us unbelievably, would have been great,” Van Eldik said.
“You just never know what’s around the corner at BPL.”