The SCG cricket pitches have been put away for another winter, replaced by the AFL’s centre square.

But unbeknownst to the Swans fans who come and watch us play each week, a fiercely contested cricket competition is happening below ground.

When we train, we all like to get down to the change rooms and start getting ready about an hour and a half early. So if we’re training at 2pm, by 12.30pm there will be a big group of guys downstairs.

There’s a bit of a queue waiting for Greeny to strap ankles, shoulders or whatever so we’ve come up with a few ways to amuse ourselves. It used to be soccer, but that could get a bit dangerous, so for the past couple of months the cricket comp has been on.

It usually starts with two to three people and ends up with 20 or 30 of us all playing by the time training is due to start.

We’ve got a tennis ball that we’ve taped up so it’s pretty hard and it’s everyone for themselves. There’s no team down in the dungeon when we play cricket.

There are a few standouts, including our own Marvan Atapattu, otherwise known as Trent Dennis-Lane.  He bowls a nice in-swinger and while there’s no real technique, he doesn’t bowl a bad ball.

Jude is pretty dangerous with the ball and Rhyce bowls some acceptable leg spinners.
We’ve made up all sorts of rules eg if it comes off the wall and the fielder catches it with one hand, you’re out.

Fairness is not one of the rules. Guys jump the queue to bat and Kieren Jack sooks when he goes out and won’t give up the willow.

Macca always argues the point - he doesn’t like going out either. Jarred Moore is pretty good with the bat, a bit like our own David Boon down there.

Teddy is Simon Katich, though he reckons he’s more like a cross between Jonty Rhodes and Carl Hooper, and I have to say I strike the ball like Gilly used to.

Anyway, it gets us in the right mood for training. We’ve trained well this week ahead of the Hawks game on Sunday and we know this week we can’t afford to play half a game of footy as we did  last Saturday.

It was great to see Parks (Luke Parker) make his debut last weekend. There’s a great connection between the young guys and it’s great to see lots of development players coming through after working so hard.

Having four debutants this year shows there’s a lot of excitement in the group and a lot of improvement and potential.