Last year, Southern finished runner-up to Auckland after the national final went to extra time.
Southern has five Black Sticks - Hugo Inglis, Blair Tarrant, Kane Russell, Hamish McGregor and Nick Ross - in its team this year, as well as leading Australians Eddie Ockenden and Brent Garske.
Inglis (22), who played in the London Olympics last year and has been in the Black Sticks for the past four years, is studying finance at the Massey Campus in Auckland.
''My immediate goal is to win the Challenge Shield with the Southern team,'' the striker said.
Inglis missed last year's national tournament because of the Olympics and his professional commitments in Holland.
''It is always special to represent the region you grew up in,'' he said.
Inglis gave Otago hockey players hope when he broke into the national team four years ago.
''Hopefully, we can see more players from Otago making it,'' he said.
Russell (21), a defender, did not make the Olympics but is now in the national squad.
He was in last year's Southern team and is confident Southern can win the Challenge Shield at this year's tournament in North Harbour.
''This is the strongest team I've ever played with for Southern,'' Russell said.
''The boys are pretty hungry after finishing runner-up last year. We are looking to go one better.''
It is the eighth year Dave Ross has coached the Southern team.
''It is good to see guys like Hugo and Kane come up through the age-group ranks, make the Black Sticks, and still want to come back and play for Southern,'' Ross said.
''Even though they have gone up north for varsity and jobs, they are excited about coming back and playing for us.
''This is the strongest team that Southern has ever put on paper. It should be better than last year's team.
''But the standard of the opposition is going to be a notch up, as well. It is going to be wide open. We are capable of winning it but we will need to play at our best.''
Five members of the team played in the Southern under-18 team that made the national final and lost to North Harbour five years ago.
The squad also includes younger players such as Nick Elder, Callum Bailey, Ollie McIntyre and Jeremy Morris, who have come through the age-group ranks and are now playing for the New Zealand juniors.
There are also stalwart players such as Chris Ashton, Jason Dungey and Richard Storey,who have been long-term members of the Southern squad.
Southern men
Hockey squad
Chris Ashton (captain), Callum Bailey, James Bishop, Jason Dungey, Nick Elder, Hugo Inglis, Hamish McGregor, Ollie McIntyre, Jeremy Morris, James Nation, Eddie Ockenden, Nick Ross, Kane Russell, Richard Storey, Blair Tarrant, Brent Garske, Jono Spence, Sanjay Patel. Coach, Dave Ross. Manager, Ron Hutton
