With more than 1000 games of experience sidelined, Greater Western Sydney have turned to one of their foundation players to captain the side in Thursday's pre-season AFL match.
Stephen Coniglio is to lead a young Giants outfit against Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval in Canberra, with usual co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis rested.
They will also be without Heath Shaw, Shane Mumford, Ryan Griffen and new recruit and three-time premiership forward Steve Johnson.
Coach Leon Cameron said Coniglio, about to enter his fifth season with the Giants, wanted to take on extra responsibility to help take his game to the next level.
"He's well-respected, he leads by example, he tackles, he plays good defence and he's an ultimate team man," Cameron said.
"He's headed in the right direction."
Cameron plans to rotate the captaincy throughout the pre-season competition before announcing his 2016 leadership group.
But Coniglio's early appointment could be a sign of what's to come.
He, along with emerging leaders Dylan Shiel and Devon Smith, have been mentored in the off-season by former Collingwood skipper Nick Maxwell.
"It's great for me to learn off such different types of leaders in our group," he said.
"It'll be a good challenge and something I'm looking forward to."
The Giants went hard in last year's NAB Challenge, winning two of their three fixtures.
And Cameron says his side will be just as aggressive this campaign ahead of a season in which they aim to better the club's 11 wins in 2015.
"We attack it full on, regardless of whether there's experience or not," he said.
Boom draftee Jacob Hooper will be among a host youngsters hoping to stake a claim for the Giants' best 22, as well as Harrison Himmelberg and Matthew Kennedy.
The Bulldogs have named a strong side for the clash, with 16 players that were involved in the elimination final defeat to Adelaide plus former Hawk Matt Suckling.
The biggest names missing will be Tom Liberatore and Tom Boyd.
"They're going to test our boys out," Cameron said.
"But in saying that, we've had a really good build up to it, they're hanging to play - and so are the Bulldogs."
