The fill-in captain hopes to mark down the clubs first game with a win but he admits not much is known about the Vikings, who like Goulburn, are new comers to Canberra top flight hockey.

“They have only come into the competition like us,” Devlin explained.

“So when ANU dropped out, us, Tuggeranong and Albury came in.

“Their top team was in the second grade competition so I don’t know if they’ve gotten any new guys or if they have kept all their second grade players.”

Regardless, Devlin and the team have been training hard since February for its inaugural season in the Canberra Hockey League.

Fitness coach Scott ‘Snoop’ Spillane in particular is one who has pushed the team hard for a high level of fitness which will be needed for the season ahead.

“We did about 6 weeks pure fitness then we brought out the sticks but still kept that fitness,” Devlin said.

“We’re confident in our preparation and the training we’ve done so the boys are all pretty eager to get going.”

Devlin is filling captain duties while Australian Kookaburra representative Glenn Turner is in Perth for national duties. He is due to return to the team mid-season.

Scott Grant and Aaron Grandovski will also miss tomorrow’s opener through injury.

Play begins tomorrow at Goulburn Hockey Centre at 3.30pm.