The Sydney Rays have named their squad for the start of the NRC, with no team to name ahead of a round one bye this weekend.
Some of the significant ins come with experience, namely in the form of Dave McDuling, while others do not, notably the inclusion of Australian U20s halfback Harry Nucifora.
Nucifora will take a prominent role in the side, with Dewet Roos ruled out for the entire season through a knee injury.
Nucifora's deputy will be Nick Duffy, who started for Northern Suburbs in their Shute Shield final loss to Warringah.
The Rays also have a coup in the coaching department, with Julian Huxley taking the reigns and Simon Cron filling a role as coaching director.
David Lolohea has come across the city to play for the Rays, having turned out for the Rams last season.
He will be joined up front by Australian U20s prop Cody Walker, with Waratah Damien Fitzpatrick set to start at hooker.
Cam Clark, Irae Simone and Bryce Hegarty will form the core of the midfield,
The Rays have the bye in Week One and will start their 2017 campaign with the big Sydney derby match against the Greater Sydney Rams on Sunday, September 10.
The derby against the Rams will be the culmination of a Festival of Rugby at Macquarie Uni Playing Fields that will see the second round of the Aon Uni 7s series played out on the Saturday and most of the Sunday.
Paula Balekana gets his chance to turn stellar Shute Shield form into NRC stardom, after a terrific campaign with Gordon, in which he was the season's top try scorer, while leading the competition in tackle busts and metres gained.
SQUAD
Rays squad for the NRC
Paula Balekana
Harry Burey
Apolosi Latunipulu
Cam Clark
Tom Connor
Nick Duffy
Lawrance Hunting
Damien Fitzpatrick (C)
Jack Grant
Bryce Hegarty
James Hilterbrand
Harry Jones
Harry Nucifora
Sam Lane
Kawaa Leauma
David Lolohea
Erza Luxton
Alex Perez
Angus Sinclair
Guy Porter
Angus Ryan
Rohan Saifoloi
Irae Simone
Dave McDuling
Hugh Sinclair
Alefosio Tatola
Josh Turner
Sam Kitchen
Conor Vest
Cody Walker
Alex Westgarth
