Almanac Cricket: Jack Conroy: ‘Giving it a red-hot crack’

July 21, 2026 by Liam Grima Leave a Comment

Jack Conroy: ‘Giving it a red-hot crack’

For Jack Conroy, cricket has always been more than just a game. Growing up watching his Dad play veterans cricket for Mazenod and spending Christmas day with bat and ball in the backyard, the 24 year old, assistant coach of the ACS Academy, was destined to play the game of cricket.

His journey has taken him from competing against some of the best talent Premier cricket has to offer for Frankston Peninsula, to mentoring the next generation at the Croydon Cricket Club and the ACS Academy, inspiring young cricketers to explore the same passion that has driven him for many years. Through the highs and lows, successes and failures, Jack’s cricketing journey has been defined by one thing: loving the game and giving everything a red-hot crack. “If I didn’t have cricket in my life,” he says, “it’d be a boring one. I live and breathe it.”

Cricket came around a little later for Jack than some kids, who start their journey through the Milo cricket program or, as it’s known now, Master Blasters. Nevertheless, like most youngsters, his Dad was the driving force behind that introduction to the game. He began his cricket journey in the Under 12s at the Lysterfield Cricket Club, competing in the Ferntree Gully & District Cricket Association. He developed a passion for the game right from the get-go, playing predominantly as an all-rounder bowling right arm off-spin, before transitioning into a top-four batsman in the Under 16s and 18s. “Cricket just became more frequent,” he explains. “I was getting three or four games in each weekend. I just couldn’t get enough of it.”

Some cricketers go their whole career without making a century. Incredibly, Jack did just that at Lysterfield when he was just fifteen years of age, against Rowville in 2018. A match winning knock and a defining moment in his career, he realised that cricket was no longer just an occasional pastime, but a constant in life.

The 2017/18 season was a breakthrough year across all fronts. Jack accumulated 1116 runs at 32.82, and 60 wickets at 11.48, across the Lysterfield (Ferntree Gully & District Cricket Association), Donvale (Eastern Cricket Association) and Mazenod Old Collegians (Eastern Cricket Association) cricket clubs, as well as an impressive stint in the Under 16 Male Youth Premier League for Metropolitan Outer East. Jack’s performances that season saw him take out the batting aggregate at Lysterfield in the Under 16s with 440 runs at 62.86, the bowling aggregate at Mazenod in the Senior 2nds (C-Turf) with 22 wickets at 9.91, and the bowling aggregate at Donvale in the Under 16s with 15 wickets at 9.2.

“When I made that hundred for Lysterfield in the Under 16s I thought, wow. I can actually bat for long periods of time and put value on my wicket,” he says. “I thought that cricket was something that I could take more seriously, because there’s a lot of good junior cricketers out there, but not all of them get to taste that success of making a hundred in junior pathways.”

After coming up short in his final series with Donvale and Mazenod, Jack’s 2017/18 season for Lysterfield ended in the ultimate success of a premiership. However, it was only the beginning. “After that semi final, when I got another 80 odd, that’s around the time I met Keith Jansz,” Jack explains. “He popped by that game, said I batted really well and invited me down to Frankston Peninsula for the next pre-season.”

Premier Cricket at Frankston Peninsula provided Jack with the challenge he had been searching for; to compete against Victoria’s best. Thrown into the deep end for the 2018/19 season, he spent his first couple of seasons developing his off-spin, recognising it as the clearest path to the First XI, which at the time lacked a dedicated front-line spinner who could lead the way. After spending some time in the thirds and seconds, Jack earned a First XI debut for Frankston in November 2019.

Jack (left) and coach Keith Jansz (right), share a moment before Jack takes the field for Frankston Peninsula

“That’s probably my greatest achievement and something I’m most proud of,” he reflects, “Having Janszi’s’ [Keith’s] support was massive, and making my First XI debut against Fitzroy Doncaster was awesome.”

Jack’s time in Premier Cricket gave him the opportunity to compete against the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Cameron White, Sam Harper and Tim Ludeman. While lining up against some of Victoria’s most established and accomplished names was daunting, he embraced the challenge. Watching some of his favourite players on television as a junior to sharing the field with them in Premier Cricket, was an experience he will never forget. Additionally, Jack had also taken on the role as junior coach for Croydon in the Under 15s, where his younger cousin played, taking the team to a premiership in just his second season.

While playing Premier Cricket was everything he had hoped for, Jack started a new chapter at Croydon in the sub-district. An unexpected role at the club soon presented itself with the senior coach stepping down. The 21 year old seized an opportunity that was almost impossible to dismiss.

“Having already known a few guys in the senior club, I thought if I throw my hat in the ring, this could be a really great opportunity. I’d only coached a few years, but they believed in me, backed me in, and gave me a crack.”

Jack commenced his role as senior coach of Croydon for the 2023/24 season before stepping down at the conclusion of season 2025/26. While captaining the First XI throughout his tenure, the young coach found that one of the most rewarding aspects was observing the development shown by young players transitioning from juniors into the senior program.

“A big thing I try to instill in players is to have the confidence to show off their true talent,” he says. “To watch them mature. I tell them not to go into their shell. They need to play the way that they play and don’t need to change for anyone else.”

Jack will once again return to Croydon for another season. However, looking back on his coaching journey, he takes great pride in watching these juniors grow into young men who seek to take their game as far as it can go, and strive to become the best players they can be.

Post Premier Cricket, his relationship with Keith Jansz continues to flourish, working closely together as coach and assistant coach of the Australian Cricket Society Scholarship Academy for a number of years, with a shared desire to see young players reach their goals in all aspects of the game.

Taking place every April and May over a 6 week period, the academy provides specialised coaching and development opportunities for boys and girls aged between 12 and 14, providing them with a unique program to reach their full potential that is not commonly found at the community level. The academy prides itself on employing a range of innovative and unconventional techniques and drills. Jack jumped at the opportunity to not only continue to work alongside his Premier coach, but to guide and inspire the next generation of boys and girls.

Jack and Keith with the upcoming ACS Scholarship Academy Squad

When asked what makes the ACS Academy unique, Jack said that the kids ask so many questions. “They just want to get better,” he says, “to see themselves go as far as they can. They’re like a sponge and they just want to soak it all in. That’s the good thing about the Academy.”

With the Academy’s sixth year completed, he remains committed to being a positive influence on the emerging talent coming through.

From chasing his own dreams to inspiring the next generation to chase theirs, Jack Conroy’s impact on the game continues to grow day by day with every player he mentors. So much so, that passion to help young people stretches beyond cricket alone. Alongside his coaching commitments, Jack is currently studying primary teaching, hoping to have the same positive impact in the classroom that he strives to have within the ACS and the Croydon Cricket Club.

When asked how he hopes others will remember him after reflecting on his time as a junior, a mentor, and his time playing Premier cricket, he said, “I want people to remember that I gave everything a red hot crack. I didn’t leave any stone unturned, that I was in it for the right reasons. I hope people can acknowledge that.”

Liam Grima is the Australian Cricket Society Scholar for 2026.