The Hornets will take to the field against RSL-Colts with a makeshift starting 11 on Saturday, due to representative and other commitments.

That left stand-in skipper Adam Wells with a hard task to come up with a side to take to the field against the defending premiers.

With Mitch Bower, Will Lindsay and Cameron McDean all on rep duty, their places in the side have been filled by Rod Morrison, Tom Mitchell and Cameron Herd.

Justin Knudsen and Andrew Cusack will also line up, with their spots to be filled by the returning Henry Railz and Mat Finlay on day two.

For Bower, while he will miss the match he believes it gives his club a good chance to test its depth early in the season.

“It probably isn’t ideal but I think a lot of the teams are in the same boat with blokes missing,” he said.

“We’ve got Mark O’Donnell and Greg Rummans playing back in second grade this year, and it will give a few guys a good test first up.

“There will be other times through the season where we have to call on blokes to step up into our first grade side, so I’d rather look at it as a chance for those guys to get a taste of it.

“What it does show is that we’re going to have strength through the grades again.”