The first of the senior competitions involving Griffith sides will get underway this weekend with Hanwood heading across to Wagga to take on Henwood Park on Sunday.
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It will be a new-look side for the defending champions with a number of experienced players missing from the grand final winning side according to coach Anthony Agresta.
"We have probably lost some of the more experienced guys like Joey (Schrippa) probably won't play," he said.
"Brad Clark, our captain, is having the year off and obviously we have lost Nick Kennedy who has gone back (to England) and Steve (Bullen) our keeper from last year as well.
"We still have a core group of probably six or seven guys from last year, and there will be a few new younger faces coming in, which is always a good thing.
"It will be a bit of a younger team, but it will be a good challenge."
Meanwhile, Andy Gamble is still on the recovery path after surgery on his ACL at the end of last year, and Agresta isn't going to rush back the experienced midfielder.
"Generally they say about 12 months but if there is anyone who could come back it would be Andy," he said.
"We won't be pressuring him, and especially in a season like this it is probably not worth him taking that risk, but at the end of the day it will be up to him.
"If he thinks he is right to go in a months time or whatever I won't say no to having him back, but that is his call to make."
Agresta feels the shortened is a great opportunity to give the younger guys in the club some first-grade experience.
"Guys like Joey and Musso (Michael Musitano) aren't going to be around playing forever, so there comes a point where you do have to regenerate the team a bit, and I think this year is a good opportunity to do that," he said.
"Numbers haven't been a problem. I think the last two weeks for three grades I think we have had close to fifty players."
Despite the changes to the side, Agresta still has full faith in his side's chances to defend their title.
"It will probably take a little bit of time to gel properly and with a fair few guys missing from last year," he said.
"We will give it a shake. I don't see why not."
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