Jeremy Rowe's new role in quest of rare grand final win

Now he's hoping not to be needed with the bat as South Wagga look to go one better against Kooringal Colts at Robertson Oval on Sunday.

Opening the batting, the former premiership-winning Blues captain made 156 to set Wagga City 268 for victory.

It wasn't enough as the Cats took a seven-wicket win.

The 37-year-old feels his body is in much better shape now but he wasn't always convinced he would make it.

"I'm actually better going into this grand final than last year's," Rowe said. "I have no issues whatsoever and I'm not even thinking about it whatsoever but I had a little setback over Christmas.

"I was intending on playing the Twenty20s but I wasn't able to get up for that and at that point I thought my season was over."

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Support from president Joel Robinson kept Rowe positive and it's paid off as he looks to improve on a horrid grand final record.

While he led the club to premiership success in their centenary year two seasons ago, Rowe has also been on the wrong end of the score in seven first grade grand finals for the club.

"Any time you have the opportunity to play in the final game of the season and compete for a premiership it is very exciting and as you get older you tend to value them even more than what you once did," Rowe said.

"For me the last couple of seasons being severely compromised by my ongoing issues with the osteitis pubis and understanding a little twist, a little turn or a little bit of back luck at the wrong time would have meant I wouldn't have the opportunity to be in the 11 or join the guys in their attempts to win would have been really disappointing.

"It's been a really fine line and being honest with myself I think particularly this year I've ridden in on the coattails of what the group has done and when you're that person who feels a little bit lucky to be there you have to make sure you really value opportunity."

After his injury struggles Rowe has only played in five matches this season.

He's batted twice for mixed results, with a duck in his first innings before 56 in his next bat.

However after dropping down to number eight Rowe hasn't been required in their last two matches.

Instead he's hoping to focus on his wicketkeeping.

"We're pretty settled so I'll be coming in at eight and would love to think I don't have anything to do with the bat," Rowe said.

"With the guys in the top order and they way they've been going fingers crossed that will be the case and sure I'll be ready to go if called upon but it allows me to focus on my wicketkeeping duties.

"It's been very clearly mapped out to me it needs to be my focus."

"As someone who is always wanting to contribute as much as I can, putting all my energy into wicketkeeping well and making sure I'm driving our fielding effort, being fully engaged in the contest and trying to get our blokes up and about throughout the 50 overs in the field is something I'm going into this weekend prioritising."