Diggers captain Nathan Smith doesn't have grand final revenge in mind when his sides faces Coro tomorrow.
IF YOU ask Diggers captain Nathan Smith about this weekend's grand final replay against Coro Cougars, he is quick to pour water on the subject.
But the issue is set to be in the back of every Cougar player's mind as they lock horns in a one-day clash at West End Oval tomorrow, in what is the first time the sides have played each other since last year's grand finals.
"The grand final last year doesn't come into this weekend, once again we'll be missing a few players with Craig Lugton and Jason Hampel out," Smith said.
"So we lose a bowler and batsman, but Mick Duncan will play this weekend even though he's not 100 per cent, he'll just field in the slips and have a bit of a go with the bat."
Smith said if the side is to replicate its stunning success last year their fielding needs to lift dramatically, with the side dropping seven catches in their win against Leagues Panthers last round.
"Jarrod (Cahill) has got a 50 and a 100 and I've got two 50s so far this year, everybody is chipping in and we're making good scores," Smith said.
"We've made around 180 for the first month of the season which I don't think anybody's done before but we need to be backing up the bowers more in the field.
"We dropped too many catches last weekend and it was lucky we had the runs on the board, but against Coro this weekend we can't afford to do that."
Coro enters the game unbeaten and their chances of extending that streak has been boosted with the return of new-ball bowler Paul Plummer who will form a potent combination with Glenn Cox
"We've started well with three wins and washout so we haven't been beaten yet this year, but we have had a couple of blokes out each week so far, but the guys who have stepped in have done the job," Rand said. "We've got the deepest bowling line up that we've had for a few years and young Floody (Alex Flood) is coming along in leaps and bounds.
"He was on the cusp of playing in the SCG Cup, so that's how good he's been going this season."
Rand himself has found early form, which he credits to work in the off-season on his technique pre-delivery at the crease.
"I think I'm a bit more relaxed this year about playing, and I guess that's showing on the field," he said.
"I've worked a bit in the off-season on my technique with Jeff (McKenna) and Ken Cunningham, just about my first movement instead of going back and across like I was where I was losing my balance a bit.
"Now it's straight across so my head isn't outside the line and I'm not getting trapped in front as much."
