That is the unenviable fate Toronto Workers will be hoping to avoid after a change in fortunes they could scarcely have imagined 12 months ago.

This time last year, the Kookaburras were hurtling fearlessly towards the finals and, ultimately, their first-ever premiership.

Now they find themselves last on the first-grade ladder, with just three players remaining from their title-winning team, and have three rounds to escape from the competition cellar after winning one of their first 10 games.

It's been a testing time for a proud club, and a learning curve for Corey Brown, who inherited the captaincy because Adrian Chad has been unavailable for the majority of Toronto's games.

"Josh Westwood, Ben Roberts and myself are the only players left from the grand final-winning squad last season," Brown said.

"Apart from that, all the other players have come up from second and third grade.

"So we've struggled for points this year. It's obviously not ideal, but the positive to take out of it is that it's allowed us to fast-track the development of some of our young players."

As well as the absence of representative all-rounder Chad, veterans Tim Cox and Aaron Gray retired after the grand final triumph, all-rounder Ryan Fenning returned to play on the Central Coast, former Australian under-16 paceman Griffin Lea signed for Manly and wicket-keeper Jeremy Ford opted for time out.

While replacing such experience and quality has been a tall order, Brown said there had been no lack of effort or desire.

"I'd say the morale in the club is still high," Brown said.

"Everyone has risen to the challenge and we're getting to training, trying to improve. That's been a pleasing aspect.

"Even though we haven't been winning many games, everyone is still in high spirits.

"We know that we're getting better every game."

The Kookaburras face a grand final rematch with in-form Hamwicks, starting on Saturday at Ron Hill Oval, followed by Belmont (home) and Stockton (away).

With 17 points to their name, they will need at least one win to finish ahead of the two teams they can realistically hope to leapfrog on the ladder, Newcastle City (19) or Waratah-Mayfield (20).

"There's two really good opportunities against Belmont and then Stockton to finish off," Brown said.

"I'll be expecting us to put in two really good performances and get the results.

"It's definitely been a tough period, but we're just hoping to pick up at least two wins from our last three games to get off the bottom of the ladder."

QUICK SINGLES

* JAKE Montgomery is on track to become the second Wallsend player in as many seasons to win the district's player-of-the-year award.

With votes over the final three rounds of the season to remain under wraps, Montgomery held a handy lead over his nearest rivals.

The Wallsend run machine had accumulated 14 votes, awarded on a three-two-one basis by umpires, ahead of Nick Foster and Simon Moore (both on 10), and Andrew Harriott, Sudhanshu Gundetti, Tim O'Neill and Isaac Wallace (all on nine).

Montgomery's 122 not out in last week's win against Charlestown took him past University's Harriott as the competition's leading runscorer.

The right-hander has racked up 549 first-grade runs this season at an average of 78.43, with three centuries.

Harriott is 35 runs behind with a fractionally better average (78.86).

Hamwicks' Rhys Hanlon has the third-highest aggregate (405) and the best average (101.25) after being dismissed only four times in eight innings.

Montgomery's skipper, Nathan Price, has been consistent (299 runs at 49.83) without reproducing the prolific form that earned him last season's player-of-the-year honour.

Montgomery and Price (68) combined last week for a 171-run partnership in the win against Charlestown, which allowed Wallsend to retain second place on the competition ladder.

This is shaping as the Tigers best chance to win a grand final since their 2006-07 triumph.

* BELMONT have surprisingly declined the opportunity to host a Summer Bash T20 quarter-final, which means two of the knockout games will be staged at Learmonth Park on Sunday.

The Whips finished second and could have enjoyed home-ground advantage in their clash with seventh-placed Stockton.

But instead they knocked back that chance, allowing third-placed Newcastle City Sabres to play on their own turf. The Belmont-Stockton game starts at 10am, followed by Sabres and Cardiff's Black Roses at 1.30pm.

The other quarter-finals will be played at Passmore Oval, after Hamilton-Wickham Pumas finished as top qualifiers.

Wests Rosellas (fourth) play Uni Sea Dragons (fifth) at 10am, followed by the Pumas and Merewether Lions at 1.30pm. The semi-finals and decider will be contested on Sunday week.

* HE has been overlooked all season by NSW Sheffield Shield selectors, and is yet to make an appearance for Sydney Thunder in the BBL.

But Newcastle's Jason Sangha continued to churn out the runs for Randwick-Petersham in Sydney Premier Cricket.

His 93 last Saturday against Parramatta took him to 604 first-grade runs, at an average of 75.5. In his past five innings (T20 and grade), he has scored 69, 82 not out, 98 not out, 41 and 93. That's 383 runs at an average of 127.6.

* NOVOCASTRIAN Paul Wilson is likely to need all his big-game experience when he umpires in the BBL final at the SCG on Saturday.

With rain forecast over the weekend, all eyes will be on the umpires as they decide whether or not the ground is fit for play.