Tamworth's under-15s will be looking to go one better when they contest the Walter Taylor Shield starting in Armidale on Thursday.
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At least half of the side were part of the under-14s that finished runners-up in their home carnival last year, going down to a strong Gold Coast side in the final.
Coach Craig Baker said they've got a pretty much full squad for the carnival, although they will be without regular skipper Ben Livingstone.
He has a big couple of months coming up with the Bradman Cup, which starts on Tuesday, and then the under-15 national championships in February.
Eddie Williams and Mim Barbara, who is preparing for her own national championship campaign, come in to make up the 12 while Ben Chick will lead the side in Livingstone's absence.
The opener will also be one of their key batsmen.
Sam Murphy will also have a big role to play as the sides main allrounder.
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He has been out for a few weeks with a knee injury.
"Hopefully he'll come back fighting fit," Baker said.
Featuring a mix of 50-over and Twenty20 games, the four day carnival will pit them against sides from Brisbane, Sydney, the coast and the Hunter Valley, along with Armidale, and be a good way to finish a shortened representative season.
Changes to the Northern Inland junior competition format means that rather than fall in the middle of their season, the four-day carnival will wrap it up.
"It's going to be fun for all of the guys," Baker said.
They had a pretty good campaign in the Ross Taylor Cup finishing third, and beating eventual runners-up Inverell and the combined Gunnedah/Narrabri/Moree team.
They will face the Brisbane Bears first-up in a 50-over game at the Armidale Sportsground.
