Half of Tasmania's Sheffield Shield squad will soon be out of contract and following a disastrous season, not even the most senior players are safe, team management says.
The Tigers finished their 2015-16 first-class campaign in a distant last place, with an innings-and-78-run loss to South Australia on Wednesday proving a sting in the tail of a lacklustre summer.
The time has come for a re-jigged line-up, Cricket Tasmania general manager Andrew Dykes said on Friday, but denied a clean out was on the cards.
"It's been no secret we haven't performed as well as we would have liked, but we're looking forward to next season and working further with the players that have had a chance this season - the younger players - and topping up with one or two players from either locally or interstate," he told reporters.
The search is expected to focus on a fast bowler and allrounder, despite the Tigers' batting group having regularly let down the side during the season.
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Victorian quick Cameron Stevenson, who shone in the Futures League, is among the players on Tassie's radar.
"We're in talks with Cameron, no decision has been reached yet," Dykes said.
Meanwhile long-time Tigers, including batsman and keeper Tim Paine and spinner Xavier Doherty, who have both represented Australia, are each coming up for contract renewal and could find themselves left in the cold.
"I won't speculate on who is required and who isn't," Dykes said.
Senior coach Dan Marsh, who takes full responsibility for the side's performance, said both Paine and Doherty are keen to re-sign as are other long-term players.
"We've got to do what's the best thing for Tasmanian cricket going forward ... so it's going to be a tough decision," he said.
But the search for new talent won't be easy.
"The best players are all stitched up by the states because the quality of batting in Australia is not what it once was," Marsh added.
"That's the trick to list management is going to find that little gem out there who's going to do well for Tasmania."
