Coach Dave Ross will have some familiar faces to work with when a group of Black Sticks fly south to rejoin the Southern Dogs franchise for the National Hockey League.
Black Sticks Hugo Inglis and Blair Tarrant, as well as national development squad members Kane Russell and Nick Ross, who have both previously started for the national side, will take the field for their home side this month.
The group will be looking to go one better than the silver they claimed in 2012 and 2013.
It will be a tough task as defending champion the Auckland Fury boasts seven Black Sticks.
However, the Southern team is bolstered by a strong cohort of Otago club players, former southerners who return as Region of Origin players, and guest players from Auckland and Canterbury.
Irish international Kirk Shimmins will join the Dogs for a second year, but will be unavailable for the rounds in Christchurch and Dunedin due to commitments with his national side.
Southern starts the competition with a match in Christchurch against the Canterbury Cavaliers on August 29, before a much anticipated home game versus North Harbour Wolves in Dunedin on September 6.
The tournament culminates in a week of matches in Whangarei from September 12 to September 20.
Otago Hockey general manager Rachel Minton-Smith is pleased to once again be hosting top-level hockey in the city.
''It's always exciting to watch the country's best play on your home turf. This year will be particularly interesting, playing Harbour, who have a lot of Black Sticks, and one former Southerner.''
The inclusion of former Dog and Dunedin local Nick Elder in the Harbour team will surely make for some interesting on-field dynamics.
Southern Dogs
NHL 2015
Hugo Inglis, Blair Tarrant, Nick Ross, Kane Russell, Kirk Shimmins, Johnny Thorn, Josh Smith, James Bishop, Kieran O'Connor, Gabe Rawcliffe, Seb Buddle, Lachie Davidson, Callum Bailey, Jeremy Morris, Tom Lysaght, Ben Radovonich, Hugh Hendrickson, Ari Barrow.
