ADCA 2025-26: Young blood boosts grand final rivals as Royals and Manypeaks prepare to showcase future talent

Grand final teams Royals and Manypeaks will be chasing premiership glory on Saturday and their title hopes will be boosted by promising young players who have come of age this season. Peaks rising star Oliver Douglas and Lions young talent Teague Valli are set to play big roles in the Albany and Districts Cricket Association A-grade decider. Douglas leads the A-grade competition’s bowling figures with 31 wickets at 18.87 while his teammate, English import Alby Berridge, lies third in the batting rankings with 534 runs at an average of 35.6. Wicketkeeper Berridge has also had a super season behind the stumps, taking 15 catches and five stumpings — bettered only by Lions counterpart Lincoln Joy who trumped him for catches, with 17, while also twice removing the bails. All-rounder Valli has had a season to remember for the Lions and will be a threat with both bat and ball come Saturday. He has two half-centuries to his name from his 265 runs, coming at an average of 29.44, his best being an unbeaten 59 against Collingwood Park in round 19. Valli has taken wickets too, nabbing four scalps with a best of 1-6 against Railways in round eight, honing his technique after recovering from a serious shoulder injury which had stopped him in his tracks. Both Douglas and Valli say they have prospered at clubs who have supported them through the ranks as youngsters. “I feel we are all really good mates,” Valli said of his Lions teammates. “There is a pretty large age gap, but we are all pretty close — we hang out, meet up at each other’s houses and it’s just a good environment to be around. “The grand final will be special. “We play each other a lot and we all know all the Peaks’ players, so we want to treat it as just another game, albeit with a big label. “The idea is not to get carried away just because we’re playing for a prize.” Douglas said he had found Peaks to be an inclusive outfit which has supported him right through the junior ranks. “It’s a great club, they just want to give everybody a go,” he said. “Seb the captain is a really nice bloke, and the club is full of good role models.” Both fiery, do-or-die characters on the field, there will be no love lost when they each tackle their first A-grade grand final. Chatting together happily off the field, these high-quality young blokes show the future of the sport is in good hands.