Kookaburras notched their first win of the season in comfortably beating second-placed Mornington last round, but 'Burras veteran Shayne Riordan says this season is very much about rebuilding the side.
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Two seasons after rebounding from years of malaise by beating Albion in the grand final, Kookaburras are again facing a climb back to the summit of Gunnedah cricket.
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Ahead of Kookaburras' clash against third-placed Albion at Wolseley Oval on Saturday, Riordan said 'Burras' young attack had to "learn consistency and putting your head down".
Compounding the side's problems, he said, had been the infrequent availability of gun allrounder Cameron Milne through injury (he badly hurt his thumb in the off-season) and work.
Riordan and Milne had a 132-run partnership in a 117-run defeat of Mornington in a one-dayer at Wolseley Oval last Saturday.
Riordan made an 89-run ball 71 not out.
"That win we had last weekend will give us a bit of heart and strengthen us up a bit," he said.
Another positive, Riordan said, was Kookaburras' elevation of young talent to first grade.
Those players include Miles Conn, Bailey Keeler and James Thomas.
Kookaburras will look to dull the impact of Albion's Mack brothers, James and Andy, who are first and second in the batting standings.
Elsewhere on Saturday, first-placed Court House play Mornington at Kitchener Park.
