Ahead of the NTFA Shield's opening round on July 18, The Examiner caught up with a selection of the senior captains, getting their opinions on their opponents.
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Incoming Scottsdale coach Ethan Petterwood and reigning Hec Smith Medallist Lochy Dornauf have both carved positive reputations from their counterparts.
Old Scotch - Alec Fotheringham
Premiership favourites: "I think Scottsdale by all reports are looking pretty good. You'd be thinking those premier league sides that are in are going to be strong so it's going to be a test for all of us given what's happened this year."
Toughest opponent: "I know there's a couple of new names that have come down from the State League, a couple of ex-North Launceston players, so it's definitely going to be a strong test."
Meander Valley - Callum Harrison
Premiership favourites: "I think it's hard to go past Rocherlea and maybe Deloraine. Obviously in their respective competition every year, they are quite competitive and obviously they are the competition above us, so I think they are the two to watch."
Toughest opponent: "Lochy Dornauf isn't a bad player, you see him in the best every week nearabouts so I think he'll do quite well for Deloraine. Jordan Cousens going back to Rocherlea, he'll be hard to go past as well. He has a fair bit of experience and coming off a flag at TSL level, he's another to keep an eye on."
MORE NTFA STORIES
Scottsdale - Christian Barnes
Premiership favourites: "I read that OLs have picked up a few. I think Darren Crawford is going to be playing. He's had his hip fixed and is ready to go, so if he's half the player that he was back in the day, then he should towel a few teams up."
Toughest opponent: "Lochy Dornauf is a gun, we've played a bit of footy against him and he's taken on the coaching role and can only go up from there."
Rocherlea - Brayden Claridge
Premiership favourites: "Believe it or not, I think Scottsdale. I've got a few mates who are going there from other clubs because they haven't got a team this year, so I think they are going to be hard to stop."
Toughest opponent: "For Scottsdale, definitely Petters coming down from the VFL and like I said, they've got some others coming down."
UTAS - Ben Arnold
Premiership favourites: "Scottsdale - they have a good local base. There's five sides out that way to draw from - Bridport have reserves and seniors and then they have their two sides."
Deloraine - Stan Tyson
Premiership favourites: "I reckon someone like Old Scotch will come out of the woodwork. You never know with those sorts of teams, they've probably picked some good players up, so it's always handy to see those teams from lower divisions come up."