As the calendar flicks over once again, the annual chorus of “this year will be different” is set to echo across living rooms, gym floors and, of course, cricket clubs.
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It’s a cliché we’ve all grown numb to, but in the Haisman Shield, it’s hard not to wonder what a clean slate might spark in the minds of the competition’s coaches and captains.
With the season poised at the break, every club has something they’d love to leave behind in December — and something they’re desperate to nail in the months ahead.
For some leaders, the vow might be to finally unlock the potential of their batting order; for others, it could be committing to youth, rediscovering old habits, or simply finding a way to stop collapsing after drinks.
So, as 2026 dawns, we take a light-hearted look at what each Haisman Shield side’s New Year’s resolution should be — and whether it might just be the spark that carries them into finals reckoning.
Central Park-St Brendan’s
Resolution: Get Jarrod Wakeling fit
There’s not much you can fault the Tigers for at the break.
Tyler Larkin’s side is dominating in both formats, making a one day final and leading the two-day ladder with the fewest wickets lost and a quotient the size of Deakin Reserve.
If there is one gripe, it’s that Central Park-St Brendan’s could do with a handful more poles.
So where’s the one man who delivers them by the truckload?
Jarrod Wakeling tweaked his way to a half century of poles last season, and after playing just one game in 2025-26, the spin king has disappeared.
Whether it’s injury, holiday or something else, the Tigers should be doing all they can to get Wakeling tying up an end and crashing castles once again.
Karramomus
Resolution: Open the shoulders
Few predicted Karramomus to sprint out of the gates as fast as it did, and maybe the Bloods surprised themselves after winning the T20 premiership and the first four games.
Since then, things have slowed down for Nathan Jones and co.
Sure, Karramomus could put the cue in the rack and shake hands on the fact it has already matched its win tally from last season (check).
But something tells me the Bloods aren’t keen on idling.
The Vibert Reserve vanguard may be more suited to white ball cricket - and that’s fine - but every win they’ve achieved this year has been done at a clip of 3.5 runs per over or greater.
Karramomus needs to rediscover its early form and take some risks with the stick if it is to consolidate a finals spot.
Katandra
Resolution: Steady the ship
Face it - it’s unusual to see Katandra outside of the top six at the Christmas break.
The Eagles have featured in finals for the past three years, winning the Haisman Shield in one of those campaigns, and with only 12 points on the board after seven games it may seem like a season has already passed them by.
Let’s be pragmatic, though.
Without Jedd Wright and Andrew Riordan, Katandra has lost a combined 16,261 runs and 697 wickets worth of experience as a new era of Eagles seek to make a name for themselves.
Winnable games against SYCU and Pine Lodge after the break shape as great acid tests as to whether or not Katandra can re-rail its season.
Kyabram
Resolution: Don’t take the foot off
Kyabram is back to its best this season, and barring a few tweaks, isn’t far from the finished article.
The Redbacks’ bowling brigade has shipped the fewest runs in the comp (901 runs) as frontline seamers Jackson McLay (17 wickets) and Charlie McLay (16 wickets) have been doing the business with the new ball alongside recruit Sam Langley (19).
Kyabram also comfortably sits in the four figures made category, with Kyle Mueller (362 runs) and Paul Parsons (274) in fine fettle.
What the Redbacks can’t afford to do now is ease off the gas.
Kyabram lost all three home and away games after Christmas last year, and that fall from grace cost it a grand final berth as a drawn semi against Nagambie granted the Lakers passage to the big dance via superior ladder position.
Avoid such an epic tailspin, and we’d be surprised if the Redbacks aren’t there at the pointy end in March.
Mooroopna
Resolution: Let the ball do the talking
Out of any teams in the Haisman Shield, Mooroopna arguably has the toughest run home: Numurkah, CPStB, Kyabram and Old Students.
What’s not up for debate is this: Henry Barrow’s side has been one of the best bowling side’s this season.
Mooroopna has taken a second-highest competition tally of 66 wickets in the 2025-26 tilt, bowling the opposition out five times out of seven with all three of the Cats’ victories following the same formula (check after SYCU result).
Bat first, make a solid total, rip through the other team’s order.
If Mooroopna can follow that blueprint and keep the ball hooping, an outside finals bid may not be out of the question.
Nagambie
Resolution: Make sure Barney fires
The Lakers have had a mixed bag in the first half of the season, with glimmers of promise followed by puzzling performances resulting in a sixth-placed finish after seven rounds.
But perhaps the most intriguing aspect of it all is Mark Nolan’s start.
‘Barney’ bashed 515 runs at 36.79 and snared 44 wickets at 11.32 last season, and has consistently been one of Cricket Shepparton’s best all rounders since Nagambie joined the competition in 2018.
Yet Nolan hasn’t fired quite the same way in 2025-26, currently sitting on 76 runs and nine wickets
The joint 2020 Lightfoot Medallist oozes class, and a turn in form is surely around the corner for the Lakers’ leading man.
And with it will come great reward for Nagambie.
Numurkah
Resolution: Lock in finals
There has to be one non-negotiable for Numurkah in the back half of the season: make it to March.
The Blues have checked in at heartbreak hotel in the past two seasons, bundled out of finals contention on the last day of the home and away season, and that’s got to hurt.
This year, Numurkah has a good enough squad to get it done.
Raguvaran Aravinthan (228 runs), Dylan Grandell (219 runs) Riley Dawson (11 wickets) have led the way with bat and ball, and the Blues match the parameters put out by all other top six candidates.
Will it all come down to the final day again, when Numurkah faces Central Park-St Brendan’s at Deakin Reserve? The Blues will sure hope not.
Old Students
Resolution: Get stingy
Old Students started the season as a finals smoky, but that fire is starting to burn, baby burn.
However, the blanket that may snuff out a top six finish is the fact the Kialla dwellers have simply conceded too many runs - and when things get tight, you do not want to miss out by a percentage point.
Don’t buy into it? Students have shipped 1387 runs, the second most of any side in the competition.
While their fearsome top four have bundled them out of jail on a few occasions, Felix Odell will need his bowling brigade to pick up the slack and, to wheel out a year six sledge, force more blocks than a Lego set.
Pine Lodge
Resolution: Be patient, and lean into the youth
Sure, from an objective standpoint, Pine Lodge has not had a great year so far.
But good things come to those who wait.
Last season was the Lodgers’ first go at a Haisman Shield campaign, and their first two victories in the top flight didn’t come until rounds 10 and 11.
Travis Waters’ side is without a win at the break, but the Lodgers have several green talents who will only benefit from getting a stack of A-grade cricket under their belt as the season progresses.
The likes of Xavier Waters and Jai Brown can absorb knowledge off teammates and foes alike, and if everything aligns, Pine Lodge’s first tick in the win column won’t be far away.
Shepparton Youth Club United
Resolution: Take more risks
The ladder doesn’t paint a pretty picture for SYCU after seven rounds.
With their only points coming via a washout, an outsider could be forgiven for thinking the combine has been far off the mark this season.
But they’d be wrong.
Sam Nash’s charges have been in at least three of their contests, with the only real rout coming at the hands of Nagambie.
What SYCU has been guilty of is not going on the offensive enough, particularly with the bat, as only four players have raised the blade this season.
United has nothing to lose, so why not wield the willow bravely in the back half of the season and see what comes from it?
Tatura
Resolution: Wickets, wickets, wickets
Tatura has turned into a run-scoring beast this season, and its devil-may-care batting approach is paying dividends as the Bulldogs find themselves in fourth place.
Daniel Coombs’ boys boast the most runs made in the Haisman Shield in 2025-26 having only failed to successfully chase a total once, and with the top order starting to find form, the Howley Oval tenants are looking primed for another finals cameo.
Where Tatura lacks is in the wickets taken department, however.
The Bulldogs have only mustered 53 wickets - the least of all top eight sides - with only Baxter Plunkett and Jess Petherick breaking double figures thus far.
Jayden and Blake Armstrong stumped up 39 poles between them last season, so if the brothers can recapture that form with the ball, Tatura will be a very tricky team to beat.
Waaia
Resolution: Dynamic duo lift a gear
For years, Waaia has counted on two men to stand tall when the going gets tough: Mitch Cleeland and Jesse Trower.
The pair were untouchable in last season’s premiership campaign as Cleeland bashed 637 runs to partner Trower’s 45 wickets, making the Bombers’ leaders feasibly the most effective one-two punch combo in the comp.
Waaia is trundling along nicely right now, but the electric duo are only just off their usual high standards.
However, others such as imports Brandon Diplock and Jaime Riley have hit the ground running down under, and given Waaia won every two dayer after Christmas last season, the Bombers will be feeling bullish about their chances right now.
We just can’t help but think if Cleeland and Trower recapture their 2024-25 form, Waaia will be near impossible to stop from going back to back.