As an English import playing cricket in Australia, this season has been full of new experiences for Jake Caudwell.
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But one of the biggest firsts he will take part in Dubbo is this weekend’s RSL-Whitney Cup grand final.
“I’ve never played in one of these grand finals before,” he said.
“In England if you win the league then you win it all but here it’s intense and the build-up is exciting and I can’t wait to get going.”
RSL-Colts was much like a league-style premiership winner this season, losing just twice on the way to the minor premiership and passage through to the first grade grand final.
Caudwell has been a key part of that, going from a handy all-rounder to a key part of the Colts bowling attack.
“It’s been different with the conditions and it’s been hot and that knocked me around a bit but it’s really good and I’ve enjoyed it,” he said.
“It’s definitely improved me, espeically with playing with people like Brad Cox and obviously Greg.”
Greg is Greg Buckley, another Englishman who now calls Dubbo home and someone who took on the Colts’ captaincy this season.
Making the grand final occasion even the more special for both Buckley and Caudwell is the fact they have known each other for almost their whole lives, having grown up in the Manchester region together.
“I’ve known him since I was a kid so it’s been really good to have that relationship with him and he brought me into the team closer than I thought I would have been,” Caudwell said.
The Colts skipper echoed that sentiment.
“It will be nice to play a final with Jake because we’ve lived in the same town but never really played in the same team before so this will be good,” Buckley said.
There is no denying Buckley will be key this weekend, as will the rest of the side’s star-laden lineup.
The men in red, led by captain Buckley and featuring the likes of Jason Ryan, Wes Giddings, Chris Morton and Brad and Tim Cox, have dominated the competition for the best part of two decades.
This biggest thing for the side this weekend is its attitude, something which has become synonymous with the club during all its success.
“As I’ve said to the boys, winning becomes a habit,” he said.
“We’ve got into that habit, turning up and expecting to win because we know how to win from different situations.
“We’re definitely very confident going into the final but finals are funny days.”
One of the biggest things which Buckley feels could decide the final is the depth of talent and the captain has backed some of his side’s lesser-lights to play a huge role in the result.
While Buckley, Giddings and Brad Cox have stole a lot of headlines, the likes of Tom Atlee and Caudwell have taken on plenty of responsibility.
“On grand final days it’s not the men you expect to score all the runs or take the wickets, it is the other boys who stand up,” he said.
“It’s never 350 runs at the top with a couple of guys scoring 100 each. It’s usually the bowlers come in and save you and then sharp catches in the field.
“I don’t think it’s any one man this weekend, it will be a mixture of everything.”
This season has already been a big one for RSL-Colts with the club celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Plenty of old faces have been back on the scene and Buckley confessed a premiership or two, with second grade also in the decider, would cap it all off.
“This year, because it is the 40th anniversary it would mean everything and to have second grade there too, if we could both pull it off it would be a good day,” he said.