In the fifth of a series of previews on the NTFA's division one,The Examiner looks at Evandale as they aim to consolidate last year's finals spot with a new leadership crew.

Co-coaches: Jack Mahar and Alex Payne

Captain: Sam Bouwman

2019 finish: Fourth - 10 wins and six losses. Eliminated by St Pats in semi-final.

Ins: Kade Gunton (year off), Adam Lewis, Nick Garwood, Aaron Rush, Patrick Sytsma (all Longford), Jacob McGrath (Campbell Town), Sam Hughes (Queensland, returning), Sam Rawlings (Emerald Lakes), Damien Clarke (Perth), Aaron Bird (Uni-Mowbray), Chris Ashley (Victoria), Daniel Sinclair (Prospect)

Outs: Phillip Skinner, Rick Edmunds (both retired), William Moloney (Victoria)

Who's impressed: "Adam Lewis, coming into the club as a new player, he has a rich history with his last name being Lewis - his grandfather is a club legend and still watches every training," Payne said.

"Coming into the club, he's been really good - he hasn't really missed a beat. He runs really well, kicks nicely and has been a sponge listening to everything possible trying to better himself.

"The likes of Billy Jack, our reigning best-and-fairest winner, he hasn't missed a beat again and has trained really strongly and Sam Bouwman, who is a recruit from last year and is now our captain going forward, has been really good as well."

Coach says: "Our expectations for the season ahead are to improve on last year. Obviously we played finals but bowed out in our second final.

"We're not there to make up the numbers. Internally, we believe we have a list that can more than contend rather than just making up the numbers.

"We were able to keep the list together and that's been our main priority, to make sure that we had the list ready to take over [the coaching job] so we weren't chasing our tail.

"Keeping [ex coach] Jimmy [Storay] on board as a player has been really smooth in that transition and for both Jack and I, the players have been really invested in what we are going about and what we are bringing to the table.

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"I gave them a bit of space when it first happened as it was a pretty deep and long pre-season as it was, so I just said to keep your bodies ticking over but our captain, Sam Bouwman, has created a challenge and points system which happens between the playing group and we post in a group what we are doing.

"There's a leaderboard for who's doing the most and who is achieving and succeeding in the challenges, so that's what we've been doing.

"It's been really well ran from Sam and there's different challenges from running, riding, strength training and skill challenges which is keeping the boys invested and ticking along."

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