During the winter, they played for the Fitzroy Baseball Club, often competing in matches played as curtain raisers to the elite Australian rules football competition, the Victorian Football League. Saturday night entertainment for the family typically consisted of dinner after the day's cricket for Fitzroy, and Plant, Liddicut and other club personnel were often invited. Under the influence of Plant and Liddicut, the boys were taught to adopt an aggressive approach, using fast feet movement to attack spin bowling in particular. In 1942–43, Neil broke into Fitzroy's First XI, joining his older brothers Merv, Mick, and Ray. During that season, the family held down the first four batting positions for Fitzroy; Merv and Mick opened the batting and Ray and Neil came in after them. The four brothers entered the Victorian team in the 1940s; Merv in 1940–41, Neil in 1946–47, and Ray and Mick in successive seasons thereafter.