MCDFNL - Navarre has a chance tomorrow to send a warning out to the rest of the Maryborough/Castlemaine District Football League they mean business.
Taking on Newstead in its opening round of the MCDFL, Navarre wants to show the rest of the league it won't be a push over in 2011.
Starting with a ferocious recruiting campaign that landed possibly nine new players into the line up for tomorrow's match at Newstead, the Hoppers are focusing on a number of things according to coach Ben Martin.
"With a few new blokes in the team we need to make sure we can gel together and not by halfway through the year, we need to straight away," Martin said.
"Things look promising, we just have to make it happen."
From last season the Grasshoppers have added defenders Josh Monaghan, Andrew Coombe, James Reicha and Andy Leithhead to the fold, giving them strength and pace from defence.
John Dunstone joins the onball brigade of Martin, Louie Hannett and a fit Daniel Parkin, while up forward the return of Nathan Holloway is an added bonus and the inclusion of Michael Smith bolsters Navarre's half-forward line.
On top of the Grasshoppers strong recruitment, Martin believes Newstead has also recruited well and will be one of the top teams this season, making this week of further importance to the green and gold outfit.
"To us it's an unknown, we don't know what they'll be like and they don't know what we'll be like, but I believe if we can play a good brand of football and maintain that over the whole four quarters then we will be in with a good shot," he said.
With a strong list to pick from Navarre has gone with an extended bench, while they'll be without other new players Joe Cunningham and Matt Jess for another few weeks.
Nic Murphy is another player to return later in the season for the Hoppers.
Winning the premiership in 2009 and losing an elimination final last season, Newstead won't be an easy beat, however if Navarre can work together and not let their guard down then an opening round win can be theirs for the taking.
They need to make a good first impression.
Likely line up:
B: J Harrington, J Monaghan, M Newton
HB: A Coombe, J Reicha, A Leithhead
C: J Driscoll, B Martin, B Tickner
HF: M Smith, S Robertson, J Rathgeber
F: R Murphy, N Holloway, L Hannett
R: Z Parry, D Parkin, J Dunstone
I: (from) L Baker, L Bibby, A Driscoll, I Moreman, J Turner, D Reading, S Bibby, D Heenan