It agonisingly lost to ladder leader Wendouree by one run.

While disappointed, Sandwith said it proved Napoleons-Sebastopol was not far behind the reigning premier.

“Obviously you never want to lose, but the fact that we were so close is a promising sign,” he said at training last night.

“They’re the team to beat and the team you want to knock off. They’re always there, they’re always up there.”

Sandwith knows this all too well having been part of the Napoleons-Sebastopol team which lost to Wendouree in last season’s grand final.

Sandwith said Napoleons-Sebastopol knows the areas it must improve.

“It’s probably always handy to have a loss.

“You see teams not lose all season and then lose in finals,” he said.

The side will get a chance to show those improvements against fifth-placed Darley tomorrow.

Sandwith is confident they have pinpointed what went wrong.

“I think we need to work on the middle part of our innings,” he said.

“We got a little bit bogged down. Especially in one-day cricket, you want to keep the ball rolling, so that’s probably it.

“I think we bowled and fielded quite well. We just couldn’t get over the line with the sticks.”

Sandwith, who made 58 runs, not only relishes his roles as opening batsman and wicketkeeper, but also being a part of his beloved Napoleons-Sebastopol, the only club he has played cricket for.

He has always had a bat or wicketkeeping gloves in his hands since his debut season in the under-14s.

Having experienced premiership success in lower grades, the now 26-year-old Sandwith is hell-bent on helping the club achieve its maiden first eleven flag.

The fact that the club has let chances slip in the past makes Sandwith want a premiership even more.

He said some players still hated thinking about their 2008-09 grand final loss.

“We lost to Mount Clear by a run on the last ball of a four-day game. That’s how close we were,” he said.

“That was heartbreaking, and most of the team played in that, so hopefully they can take something from that.”

Sandwith believes this could be the drought-breaking year, but is happy to keep playing regardless. “There’s still a desire to play to the best of my abilities so while I’m still getting a game in the ones I’ll be still going around.”