Dandenong Club poised to enter the BPL
Dandenong Club will compete for the spoils of the sport’s most revered televised event, after securing a licence to the Bowls Premier League.
Following on from a successful tilt at the recent Ultimate Bowls Championships and the unveiling of their newly completed undercover bowls facility, Dandenong Club have stepped up to the BPL in the competition’s tenth staging this November.
In a major coup for the new team, Northern Ireland’s Gary Kelly, 30, has been confirmed as the team’s marquee inaugural signing.
Kelly is arguably one of the most in-form international exponents yet to debut in the BPL and is riding a wave of success after securing the World Cup singles crown earlier this year.
Bowls Australia CEO Neil Dalrymple said Dandenong Club was a welcome addition to this coveted competition.
“The Bowls Premier League has established itself as the one of the most prestigious, exciting and innovative bowls events over many years and it’s exciting to welcome Dandenong Club in on the action,” Dalrymple said.
Dandenong Club President Charlie Daly said the BPL was an exciting opportunity for the Club to be a part of over the next three years.
“This is a great opportunity for our Club,” Daly said.
“Our Board have been extremely enthusiastic about reinvigorating our bowls operations; we have a wonderful new undercover facility, real growth in participation and membership supported by an enthusiastic staff servicing the bowls program.
“We are looking forward to establishing a team that at mixes it with the best players in the country and excited about this three year commitment to be a part of Bowls Australia’s BPL competition.”
The announcement confirms Dandenong Club as the BPL’s first new team since Illawarra Gorillas joined BPL06 in 2017, and prior to that, the Moama Bowling Club’s Murray Steamers and Club Helensvale’s Gold Coast Hawks jointly joined the fray at BPL02 in 2014.
Details surrounding Dandenong Club’s team name, colours, uniform and remaining team personnel will be made closer to the staging of the competition.
Further announcements pertaining to the other BPL teams and their player rosters will made in the coming weeks.
Since its inception in 2013, the BPL has distributed more than $900,000 in prize-money to the participating teams.
BPL10 will be staged from November 12 to 15 at Queensland’s Club Pine Rivers, with 20 hours of live broadcast coverage on Fox Sports Australia, Kayo Sports and Sky Sport NZ.
Caption: Bowls Australia CEO Neil Dalrymple and Dandenong Club President Charlie Daly.
