Instead of taking the easy option and targeting rival clubs, the Panthers headed to the bush and scoured over the best young talent.

Enter Rand’s Bryce Swift and Holbrook pair Josh Jones and Will Heriot.

With Brooker stalwart Robbie Mackinlay and his son Andrew already at the club, the CAW club had strong ties with the Holbrook and District and Brocklesby and District associations.

The country connection goes deeper with Jindera brothers Chris and Michael Galvin also playing with the Panthers.

“After Lavi won the flag we lost a lot of players and needed to quickly try to stay competitive,” coach Robbie Mackinlay said yesterday.

“I’m not a fan of taking players from other clubs in the comp so we looked at recruiting from the bush leagues and I think we have done very well out of it.

“You generally know you are getting low maintenance people with good attitudes.

“A lot of these kids have known each other all their lives and play cricket and footy together.”

The “country connection” has delivered big time for the Panthers this season.

Heriot and Swift have been solid performers with the ball in taking 14 and 11 wickets respectively while Mackinlay has chalked up 262 runs and Jones boasts 135 runs and 15 catches as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

They will face one of the biggest challenges of their careers in today’s CAW provincial semi-final against East Albury at Alexandra Park.

East Albury won by six wickets in round five before their return bout was declared a draw due to the weather.

Mackinlay concedes the Crows deserve to start favourites.

“We will definitely to be underdogs,” he said.

“They are well coached and finished on top of the ladder.

“It’s the first time all year that we have had everyone available though and we’ll give it a good shot.”

The emergence of young quick Jayden Wright has been a huge positive for Lavington in the second half of the season while Heriot can be expected to send down plenty of overs as the spinner.

The Crows will go in without Alex Popko.