As the old saying goes, the only thing harder than winning a premiership is defending one.
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That is the challenge ahead of Northern Suburbs captain Josh Callinan this summer.
The Lorn club took out minor and major premierships last season as well as the Hunter Valley Cup but will be without powerful all-rounder Grant Stewart for the new campaign.
Stewart, who led Norths’ charge during the second half of the campaign, has joined older brother Luke at Newcastle club University alongside another Norths connection in former premiership-winning captain Tim Prescott.
Callinan acknowledged the hole Stewart would leave in his team but said he had the personnel to cover for the 20-year-old.
“Grant is a massive loss, you don’t replace a bloke like him,” he said.
“He exploded in the back half of last season but he’s got a great opportunity down there.
“Hopefully Lincoln (Mills) will take over that all-rounders mantle.”
The 28-year-old Callinan said his strike bowler Mitch Field was fit again after off-season knee surgery.
Field missed the first half of last season through injury but returned to take 27 wickets.
“Mitch is fit and ready to go so he’s a long way ahead of last season,” Callinan said.
“He took 17 wickets in that final series across three innings on one knee, he had an operation to fix it up so it’s great we’ve got him.”
Opening batsman Mitch Saxby returns to the club after two seasons away, while Callinan will again call on experienced players Terry Humphreys, Matt Wilks and Heath Kepreotes.
Callinan said the goal was to make it back to back titles.
“That’s always the aim when you start the season, to be aiming for those titles,” he said.
“They are ours to defend and we’ll certainly be doing our best to do that.
“We still have most of the core of the squad together so I think we’ll be in the mix.”
