By Tara Murray
Seddon has locked in an international bowler for next season’s Victorian Turf Cricket Isaacs Howarth Shield season which is hoped will pay off long term.
Aridan Neill, who played 15 games for Scotland in one-day internationals and T20s, has joined the Dockers.
Dockers president Leigh Davies said it was really exciting to have locked in Neill.
“He brings a wealth of experience,” he said. “He’s a tall fast bowler which is what we really needed,” he said.
“He’s good friends with coach Tom Foulds as well. We found out through a cricket agent that he was available.
“The negotiations began.”
Davies said that Neill’s partner had a job in Australia and they were hoping to settle in Australia long term.
He said they were hoping Neill would be with the club for a number of years and a partnership that could be built on.
“He’ll be an assistant coach and help out with the junior program,” he said. “He’ll become part of the club.
“We can now play next season around key players like Adrian.”
The signing comes after the Dockers finished this season in fifth. Davies said they finished strongly, but needed to find consistency across the whole season.
“We won four of our last five,” he said. “We just missed out on finals by percentage.
“We always thought we had the team but it was a shame it ended the way it did. The start is something that we need to address, it’s happened the last two to three seasons.”
Overall, the club had a good season with their second XI making the grand final and going for its first premiership in 13 years.
The club’s third XI lost in the semi finals, while one of its all-abilities side made the conference finals and the club’s under-11s won the premiership.
