Kookas skipper Troy Tungai is not one for sugarcoating his team's poor start to the South Coast District Cricket Association one-day competition.
Tungai also knows things don't get any easier this Saturday for the Kookas when they take on champions Lake Illawarra at Oakleigh Park.
The skipper is also too experienced to make outlandish predictions by suggesting the Kookas would upset the Lakers and secure their first win of the season.
But Tungai has faith his young side would start to turn the corner once the Kookas were able to field a settled line-up week-in week-out.
"It's been tough. We lost a lot of experience with the retirement of Paul Clark. We're also missing his son Ben. The start of the year has been difficult, we're in a bit of a transition period," he said.
"Having the same sort of 10, 11 blokes on the field every week is nice if we can get it. But it's been a bit of a struggle at the start of the year. We have sort of had to chop and change personnel.
"That's probably been the big thing, not having a consistent team on the park so far."
Tungai added the lack of juniors coming through was another concern for the Kookas.
"The last couple of years we haven't really had a big junior base. We have a 13s and 11s side but they're a long way from playing grade cricket.
"The last sort of five, six, seven years has been hard for us at the Kookas.
"Not having a huge junior base makes it hard for us. I'm sure there are a lot of clubs in the same boat too but it does make it hard."
Tungai though is expecting to get a few players back in the next couple of weeks.
"That will be good. Hopefully when that happens we can build and start to improve," he said.
"We had a bit of a rough one last week. It's never good when you get about nearly 400 put on you.
"And it doesn't get any easier this week, especially with Kerrod [White] scoring a 100 last week. He is in good form.
"But for us it is just about doing the one per centres right, keep our mind on the job and just give it a good crack."
Elsewhere on Saturday, North Nowra Cambewarra play Shellharbour City, The Rail hosts Bomaderry Tigers, Bay and Basin Dolphins take on Albion Park Eagles and Ex Servos are at home against the Kiama Cavaliers.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
