Tasmania coach Salliann Briggs says three young Tigers players have their futures in their own hands after being released from state contracts this week.
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Teenage Riverside talent Emma Manix-Geeves was not offered a new contract despite topping the WNCL for wicketkeeping dismissals while openers Stef Daffara and Erin Fazackerley both opted to take a year off.
Manix-Geeves averaged an impressive 52.33 playing for New Town in the Cricket Tasmania Premier League this season but managed just 32 runs in six WNCL innings for the Tigers.
The 19-year-old will pursue other opportunities in Victoria this season.
"Emma Manix-Geeves has been part of our professional program for two years and we've decided to not give her a contract this year," Briggs said.
"That's purely because we haven't seen the improvements that we've wanted to see in her.
"She's got a lot of talent and we're hoping that she comes back into the game but we're working with her to see where she wants to go from now.
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"We have our premier academy, which is the players that aren't contracted, so we're hoping she goes away, gets herself in the right physical condition and comes back really excited and wanting to redeem her place in the squad."
Briggs backed Emily Smith, who copped a hefty one-year ban after posting a team line-up on Instagram last year, to do the job as the sole keeper on Tasmania's books.
"In a cricket team you're looking for keepers that are able to contribute with the bat and unfortunately we've not seen that," Briggs said.
"So we've decided to go with one keeper this year who we know is going to execute well with the gloves and hopefully develop that space from a batting point of view."
Fazackerley's exit also comes as a shock following an impressive WBBL campaign for the Hurricanes.
The 21-year-old, whose aunt Kim was the first Tasmanian woman to play for Australia, whacked 243 runs at a strike rate of 120-plus to be one of the Hurricanes' most effective batters.
Briggs said both Fazackerley and 24-year-old Daffara had requested time to consider their futures.
"It is a shock because [Fazackerley] is an impactful player, but we've got to do what's best for her and she decided she wanted to have a little break away from the game," Briggs said.
"Hopefully it's only a short break, but I think it's a good decision for her at the minute and we certainly hope to welcome her back when she feels the time is right.
"I think she's got a few things to work out on her own which is fine - it would have been an incredibly hard decision but she just wants to see the rest of the world for now and hopefully come back as if she's really missed it and ready to go again.
"They'll be working out whether they really want to commit to it and this gives them time, her and Stef to work out 'do we really want to commit to cricket?'."
Briggs said the Tigers would "not close the door" on Fazackerley returning for the WBBL if the aggressive opener showed interest.
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