NEW City president Anthony Baker has launched a parting shot at the club’s English imports, slamming their off-field behaviour.
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The club’s two best players, representative stars Sam Drury and Ben Kohler-Cadmore, leave Albury today en route to London, four days out from the District finals.
Kohler-Cadmore said financial reasons had played a part in their premature departure.
Baker said the club was happy for them to leave on the eve of finals.
“They started the year off well but to be honest they lost their focus as the year went on,” Baker said yesterday.
“We are happy to let them go early.
“They have created some ill-feeling.
“We’ve been organising work since they‘ve been here and with some jobs we’ve organised they just haven’t turned up.
“They’ve treated the residences they’ve stayed at with disrespect.
“We just found they didn’t fit the mould of club people which we expected.
“They started off saying and doing the right things but as the season went on that wore off.”
Kohler-Cadmore said the pair were “happy with the majority of things”.
“It was mainly the money issues,” the 19-year-old said.
“I can’t afford to stay here any longer.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t go on to win the flag.
“I didn’t want to stay by myself.”
Drury, 22, missed the win against Bethanga at the weekend with a knee injury he has struggled to shake off.
The pair, vital members of Cricket Albury-Wodonga’s representative season, will leave big holes in New City’s premiership aspirations.
Drury made 357 club runs at an average of 32.45 — his best was 85 — and took 17 wickets.
Kohler-Cadmore, who made back-to-back tons at Country Week, made 460 runs at 46 to go with six wickets.
He said the time was right to leave.
“Sam is injured and couldn’t play anyway and some things have gone wrong at the club,” he said.
“We’ve been here five months which is a long time so I think it’s time to go home.”
Kohler-Cadmore, who hopes to join the Navy on his return to Britain, said pre-season with Yorkshire-based club Driffield Town was now his focus.
Baker said he wouldn’t rule out recruiting overseas players in the future.
“It’s the first time we’ve done something like this and we’ve learnt from the experience,” he said.