The Tatura product is at the end of his second season in navy blue and fifth season in total playing Victorian Premier Cricket first grade.
Another Cricket Shepparton export will also be hunting a second straight title, with Karramomus product Andrew Poppa featuring in Carlton’s middle-order.
This time last year, Carlton faced Casey South Melbourne in one of the all-time first grade grand finals.
Carlton lost on first innings and required a miracle to occur on the third and final day’s play at Essendon Cricket Ground.
That spark of hope came in the form of Archer who skittled the last few batters in CSM’s second innings, before the Blues batters did the rest in an unbelievable climax, scoring 3-253 from 30.4 overs to secure an outright victory and the premiership late.
This weekend, Archer (28 wickets at 21.21 this season), Poppa (made a second grade ton a few weeks ago) and their chargers have to face a talent-laden St Kilda at Junction Oval as Carlton hunts back-to-back flags.
St Kilda has a list arguably equipped to take on a Sheffield Shield side as it features Australian Test players Marcus Harris, Peter Handscomb and Todd Murphy, while also having current and former state-contracted players Harry Dixon, Blake Macdonald, Jonathon Merlo and Adam Crosthwaite in its ranks.
Speaking in the lead-up to Friday’s first day of play, Archer said neither he nor his team would overawed by their opponents.
“It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” Archer said.
“But I don’t think you can read too much into it, they are just cricketers at the end of the day.
“It’s no different to what any of our teammates are either, so should be a bit of fun.”
At Carlton’s disposal is contracted Victorian fast bowler Xavier Crone and former first-class players Cam Stevenson and Evan Gulbis.
The Blues are entering their fourth consecutive final and, while last season’s decider was one for the ages, Archer said he and his teammates wouldn’t be giving it too much thought ahead of this weekend’s clash.
“Our group is pretty cool and relaxed, but also really competitive,” he said.
“I don’t think you take too much out of (last year’s grand final) or read too much into it, you just have confidence that yes, you can win from any position, which I think the group has had for a long time since before I was there.
“I have been incredibly lucky to have come in and jumped in on their culture and be involved there.”
Having played cricket non-stop for the past 18 months — thanks to a summer in the United Kingdom — one might have thought Archer would be keen to pack the Kookaburra and baggy cap away for winter.
However, the gun leggie said his love for cricket and his teammates still burns red-hot.
“I have only got about six weeks off and then I will head up to Darwin and play,” he said.
“I am keen to have a bit of time off, but we were in a pretty precarious position last week and I was thinking during the warm-up on day two that I am not really ready for this to be over yet.
“The boys we all hang out about two or three times a week all year, so they sort of become like your family and then you don’t see them as much during the winter months.
“While it is exciting to play in a granny, it’s still a bit crap that you don’t see the boys as much after that.”
The Victorian Premier Cricket first grade grand final will be a three-day match starting Friday at Junction Oval.
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