But now the 50-year-old and his Cowboys teammates are facing thier toughest battle yet.

The proud, rural club is in desperate need of cricketers to fill its A-grade team.

Two years after contesting the Emu Valley Cricket Association finals, Axe Creek has been ravaged by player losses due to retirements, work commitments and the departure of those seeking cricketing success elsewhere.

Cowboys president Rob Fisher estimates the club has as few as four A-grade calibre players remaining at the club, leaving the committee with a difficult and multi-layered predicament.

He said association rules determined that clubs could not field a B-grade side without also fielding an A-grade team.

The club presently has enough players to fill two teams, but Fisher said the bulk were B and C-grade standard.

"If we were to compete in A with our current list it would be disastrous," he said.

"If we don't get some players in of A-grade standard we are going to be right up against it given the quality of most of the other teams in the league and that would imbalance the standard of the competition.

"Plus, there is the possibility that our guys will get fed up with losing and by Christmas time say they have had enough and walk away from the game.

"We don't players walking away from the game, it's hard enough to get players as it is."

The EVCA has given the club until the end of this month to inform the league of its intentions for the 2016-17 season.

Complicating matters is that most clubs across the region have already signed their recruits for this season.

"What we need is to get a few new guys in, some passionate cricketers, who have got friuends of a simlar ilk, come out and help bolster numbers and help shape the club," Fisher said.

"At the moment we are the crossroads - if we don't some quality players in, we'll have to drop down to C-grade and it will be very hard to rebuild once we are out of A and B-grade."

Fisher said the club prided itself on being a 'family friendly club and was the only one in the region with its own all-abilities team, which competed against teams in Melbourne.

The Cowboys have also worked extensively on developing the skills of refugee youths across the region through a series of come-and-try days.

The call for players comes at a time when the club is financially stable and with significant improvements to infrastructure being made.

Club rooms at the Cowboys' home ground at Longlea Recreation Reserve have only recently been expanded, while a connection to the Axedale-Bendigo water pipeline as been established at the ground.

O'Bryen, a former club president and now its treasurer, said the situation was as dire as it had been in his time at the club.

"From that finals side two seasons ago, we've lost nine players - five the following season and four last year," he said.

"I'll play at Axe Creek for the rest of my life - I just want to wear the yellow cap - so I'll play division three if that's where we are at.

"(But) to be honest I've struggled at division one the last few years and it's probably time for someone else to step up.

"I just love the club and I'm ot just here to play cricket, I'm here to develop a sense of community and develop this community."

For player inquiries contact Rob Fisher on 0434 300 405.