There are seven new caps named in the Otago ITM Cup squad with Highlanders hooker Liam Coltman to captain the side.
Coltman, who has played 51 games for Otago, the most of any player in the squad, takes over the captaincy from Charlie O'Connell, who remains in the squad.
The side is based mainly around the players who have turned out for Otago over the last couple of seasons and for many of them it appears to be a make or break season.
The seven new caps are mainly in the backs with Southern loose forwards Mika Mafi and Adam Knight the only new caps in the forwards.
New caps in the backs are: wingers Gavin Stark and Jack Wilson, inside backs Sio Tomkinson and Fletcher Smith and halfback Kaide Whiting.
Stark had played for New Zealand Schools in 2013 and is a former national schools sprint champion.
Wilson is an interesting player, having appeared in Otago soon after playing Super rugby for the Sharks.
The 25-year-old played for Bay of Plenty in 2012 and also played in three tournaments for the New Zealand Sevens team in that year.
He then left to go overseas where he played two seasons for the Saracens club in England, qualifying as a local player as he had a British passport.
He then signed for the Sharks team in South Africa this season and played a few matches in the just completed Super rugby season.
Otago coach Cory Brown, who is coaching the side in his first year, taking over from older brother Tony, said Walker was committed to Otago and wanted to make an impression for the side.
Sio Tomkinson and Fletcher Smith are new inside backs while former Tasman halfback Kaide Whiting will fight for the No 9 position.
Loose forward Lee Allan, winger Fa'asiu Fuatai and first five-eighth Hayden Parker have been named in the squad but all are injured and will not be seen this season. Allan is dealing with concussion issues, while Parker and Fuatai have had shoulder operations.
Lock Tom Franklin has has some positive news on his injured elbow and may be able to play in early September.
An eight man wider training squad has been named which can come into the squad should injuries occur.
Brown said a prop will probably be added to the squad.
Four props have been named in the squad - Donald Brighouse, Craig Millar, Aki Seiuli and Hisi Sasagi - but Sasagi and Seiuli are struggling with knee injuries.
Squads of 23 will play in the ITM Cup, so four props will be in the match day squad.
The side is a bit light on loose forwards but Brown said the side wanted to have enough props.
He was pleased with the make-up of the squad.
''This first week we've had together I've been really impressed with the energy of the guys around the camp and the enthusiasm,'' he said.
He said there were some unlucky players such as flankers Hadleigh May and Theo Commissaris but he was impressed with the depth of the squad. O'Connell has been picked as a No 8.
An Otago side would travel to Nelson today to take on Tasman tonight.
Brown said he wanted the side to take a step up from last week when it had a comfortable win, playing as the Sassenachs, against a shadow Southland team.
The intensity was bound to be increased against Tasman which has named some Super rugby players in its team. The game kicks off at 6pm.
• The Tasman team is: David Havili, Viliami Lohola, Trael Joess, Alex Nankivell, Mitchell Scott, Trent Renata, Jimmy Cowan, Liam Squire, Pete Samu, Shannon Frizell, Joe Wheeler, Marco Kolze, Ross Geldenhuys, Jesse MacDonald, Tim Perry. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Jake Stafford-Wood, Jeff Lepa, Shane Christie, Billy Guyton, Kieran Fonotia, Kade Poki, Robbie Malneek, Quinten Strange, Tone Ng Shiu, Marty Banks.
Otago
ITM Cup squad
Backs: Tony Ensor, Jack Wilson, Gavin Stark, Jayden Spence, Tei Walden, Michael Collins, Matt Faddes, Sio Tomkinson, Peter Breen, Fletcher Smith, Josh Renton, Kaide Whiting
Forwards: Charlie O'Connell, James Lentjes, Mika Mafi, Adam Knight, Ratu Dawai, Josh Dickson, Tom Franklin, Joe Latta, Jackson Hemopo, Donald Brighouse, Hisa Sasagi, Craig Millar, Aki Seiuli, Sam Anderson-Heather, Liam Coltman (captain).
Injured: Lee Allan, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Hayden Parker
All Blacks: Ben Smith
Wider training squad: Josh Casey, Josh Gordon, Kurt Hammer, Scott Manson, Aleki Morris, Sam Sturgess, Sekonaia Pole, Blair Tweed.
