Simmons has been eager to get back on the park and admitted he struggled to watch from the sidelines.

However, he said the team was in good hands under Joel Merkel, who filled the void as captain in his absence.

"I went to training on Thursday night and I was like a kid at Christmas," Simmons said.

"It was a ripper day last Saturday so I was devastated when it was called off (due to rain earlier in the week).

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"I feel like I've already let the boys down enough so I'll have to put my head down and make it up to them.

"I was hitting them really well in the nets, I don't know if it's because I haven't swung a bat in a while, but it was nice."

There's not many bigger challenges first-up for Simmons than the competition's benchmark, Rand.

"You know what they're going to dish up, they've got 11 bowlers and 11 bats," Simmons said.

Elsewhere, ladder leaders The Rock-Yerong Creek travel to Lockhart, reigning premiers Henty host Osborne, Holbrook clashes with Brock-Burrum, while Culcairn has the bye.

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