Former Casey-South Melbourne president and current Monash University director of cricket Graham Yallop (above) has come under fire from Swans head coach Mark Ridgway for approaching young quick Lukas Hoogenboom (right) about switching camps.By Marc McGowan
NEW Casey-South Melbourne head coach Mark Ridgway has taken a swipe at former president and Australian Test captain Graham Yallop over his actions since leaving the club.
The comments come on the back of four of the Swans’ emerging stars being selected in Cricket Victoria High Performance Academy squads last week.
Two of those players are recruits – all-rounder Jayde Herrick and beanpole former Canberra and Noble Park quick Ash Perera.
The other two members named were Australian under-19 left-arm orthodox spinner Clive Rose and all-rounder Reuben Wakefield.
Tasmanian fast bowling newcomer Damien Wright was also given a full Victorian Bushrangers contract this month.
There has been a massive shake-up at Casey Fields since former St Kilda mentor Ridgway took over the reins from John Hayes in April.
Herrick switched from St Kilda almost immediately after Ridgway’s appointment and Dandenong wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Hussey and Perera were not far behind.
With Wright agreeing to leave the Apple Isle, Casey-South Melbourne suddenly finds itself with an embarrassment of riches in the bowling department.
Yallop quit the Swans in May – after helping appoint Ridgway – to take up a lucrative position as director of cricket at Monash University.
Following Casey-South Melbourne’s recruiting drive, Yallop sounded out last season’s opening bowler Lukas Hoogenboom, who is playing in England, about moving to Hawthorn-Monash University.
But Ridgway said Hoogenboom was very much a required player at the club.
“I’m very disappointed in Graham’s actions because Hoogenboom is a marquee player at our club and we won’t be letting him go,” he said.
“Hoogenboom’s a Cranbourne boy to start with and is a valuable member of our side.
“Lukas will hopefully make the right decision and stay with Casey-South Melbourne to further his career.”
Yallop confirmed that his new club had approached Hoogenboom, English batsman Chris Benham – last season’s Swans professional player – and former Casey-South Melbourne captain-coach Roger Sillence.
“I don’t know why he would be disappointed; it happens every day,” he said.
“Players from other clubs are approached all the time, plus the fact he’s got Herrick from St Kilda, Wright from Tasmania and Perera from Canberra, so what’s he complaining about?
“St Kilda is one of the worst to do that and he was part of that regime, so he’s got a lot to answer for.”
In what has already been an intriguing off-season, Casey-South Melbourne batting prospect Luke Chapple is another engrossed in a tug-of-war with his current club and Frankston-Peninsula.
Ridgway is hoping to retain Chapple’s services, while wooing another Canberra player – opening batsman David Griffiths.
The Swans began training on Tuesday and expectations are high for the 2008/09 season.
“We’re looking forward to a good year and making significant improvement right away,” Ridgway said.
“I’m certainly not going to sit here and say we’ll make the finals, because that would be ludicrous.
“But we want fair dinkum improvement through all the grades – we want to be seen as a competitive unit rather than other teams going, ‘beauty, Casey-South Melbourne; this will be an outright (win)’.
“I don’t want people to think that any more. Whether we win or lose, I want us to be more competitive.”
