Having finished second in previous years, Peters produced what he described as the best performance of his life to win 10 of his 11 matches.
‘‘I wasn’t expecting to win half of my games,’’ Peters said.
‘‘The field provided a much stronger competition to what I usually play against.
‘‘I honestly don’t think I could have played any better.’’
In the sport’s highest level of competition in Victoria, the quality of play was always going to be high.
It proved to be much greater than Peters expected.
‘‘Being there did give me a greater appreciation for the sport,’’ he said.
‘‘But I kept telling myself I earned the right to be there.
‘‘You have to respect your opponent but you have to believe you can beat them.’’
It proved to be a successful tournament overall for Peters and the Goulburn Valley team as they claimed a second placed overall finish behind winners North East District Croquet Association.
‘‘It’s a huge achievement against such strong teams from across the state,’’ Peters said.
‘‘All of us are extremely proud of what we achieved.’’
John Young, from Shepparton, performed strongly in division two with seven wins from his nine matches, finishing third on nett hoops.
Meanwhile, James Gunn of Rich River won three of his 11 matches in division three.
The players attention now turns back to the local district competition, where familiar faces will be greeted with a smile.
‘‘I’m looking forward to getting back to the club,’’ Peters said.
‘‘Playing against good friends is always enjoyable.’’
9°C