BASINGSTOKE Bison player/coach Doug Sheppard is already busy as he looks to build on last season’s success.

The Herd have just finished their best ever year in the English Premier League, which saw them finish second in the standings and lose semi-final penalty shoot-outs in the EPL Cup and play-offs.

Sheppard said: “We definitely have a good group of guys and the main pieces. We just need to add to that, and we are certainly going in the right direction.”

One player who is not returning next season is Greg Owen as he will retire from the sport after the world championships next week.

The 31-year-old has been one of the Herd’s top British forwards, making over 200 appearances and averaging almost a point a game.

Sheppard said: “I am so glad to have played with Greg and he was a great leader of the team. I can understand that he now wants to spend my time with his family.”

Owen was away this week at a GB training camp ahead of the world championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Britain’s first game in the competition is on Sunday against the hosts, followed by games against Kazakhstan (Monday), Italy (Wednesday), Japan (Friday) and Korea (Saturday).