There was excitement in his voice as NTFA coach Lochie Dornauf talked about the match-ups through the middle of the ground ahead of Saturday's representative match.
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The NTFA venture to Devonport Oval to take on the NWFL who they haven't beaten in their six clashes since 2004.
"It will be a juicy midfield battle with Bailey Boag, Kallum Kubicki and Quade Byard versus Liam Davies, Jordan Cousens, Hamish Leedham and Josh Frankcombe - it's going to be hot in there," Dornauf said.
The coach was hopeful his midfielders would get on top and provide great service for the forwards.
Commenting on the wings, he said Scottsdale's Joe Krushka brought valuable representative experience while labelling Hillwood's Isaac Thompson a running machine who may be leading the league best and fairest.
Dornauf spoke of other potential match-winners.
"We've got Archie Wilkinson at centre half-forward. When he's on, he is an imposing figure, a massive man," he said.
"When he clunks the first one or two in a game, as an opponent you know you're in for a long day and we're really hopeful we can get around him and get him a good start. (Jacob) Boyd off a half-back flank will also be exciting for us."
There's a sense the NTFA have assembled one of their better line-ups in recent years.
"I think this year will be stronger than last year just given some of the cattle coming on board," Dornauf said.
"We've got (Jacob) Boyd and (Jack) Tuthill from Launceston (Blues) that have put their hand ups and they'll be coming off the half-back flanks for us.
"We've got Jordan Cousens who is the Rolls-Royce of the team - there wouldn't be many that would stack up with him at the state level let alone playing in this representative team for the NTFA, such is his quality."
NTFA legends Anthony Axton and Dale Chugg spoke at Thursday night's team dinner.
They both coached George Town to multiple premierships and they've also coached representative footy.
"They're both royalty in the NTFA who have done everything you could possibly do with eight grand finals in a row and team of the years and representative football," Dornauf said.
"But one thing they hadn't ticked off was beating the North-West - they'd drawn but hadn't beaten them.
"It was interesting to get their take and (to see) how passionate they were on the issue and it was resounding among the group about how they wanted to be the first (to beat them) and hopefully the first of many."
Dornauf, who coached the NTFA from the sidelines last year due to a facial injury, will play in his second game after also lining-up for the competition in 2019.
The coach said Scottsdale's Jacob Singline would be among those who would play their first representative game while Jayden Last and Sam Borlini, who have previously played in the North-West, would also line-up for the NTFA for the first time.
Dornauf encouraged fans to make the trip up the Bass Highway.
Teams
NWFL
B: F. Kelly, D. Brazendale, L. Warren
HB: N. Walters, B. van Buuren, T. Kelly
C: L. Russell, Q. Byard, K. Lowe
HF: Z. Marshall, J. Wolfe, W. Kenny
F: K. Kubicki, J. Templeton, O. Kelly
R: J. Smith, B. Boag, D. Smith
INT: S. Egger, C. Castles, M. Elliot, T. Charles
Emergencies: B. Howard, S. McCrossen, L. Elphinstone, D. Goss
NTFA
B: J. Last, D. Howe, J. Tuthill
HB: J. Harris, J. Singline, J. Boyd
C: J. Krushka, J. Frankcombe, I. Thompson
HF: J. Donnellan, A. Wilkinson, S. Borlini
F: L. Dornauf, C. Lowe, C. Brown
R: H. Leedham, L. Davies, J. Cousens
INT: O. Wood, K. Lanham, T. Miller, K. Chilcott
Emergencies: M. Lee, C. Warren, S. Scott
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