The teams were named last week and there is a familiar theme running through both squads.There is a lack of quality strikers and experienced players are in short supply as well.
Southern women’s coach Tina Bell-Kake was shocked to find out just how inexperienced her squad was.
"It is a very inexperienced team and I did not realise how inexperienced until I went round the room and asked how many had been involved in an NHL campaign."
One hand was raised and it belonged to midfielder Maddi McLean.
Three other Storm players have played in the NHL — Tessa Jopp, Ginny Wilson and Erin Smyth — but they are based in Auckland.
It is a big hurdle to overcome, but Bell-Kake felt the most daunting challenge would be up front.
The Storm has traditionally struggled to score goals and the cavalry has not arrived during the team’s absence from the tournament last year.
"We are working on that at the moment.
"It is an area in New Zealand in general where we are struggling.
"I have some pretty young strikers and strikers who are going to find it tough coming up against NHL defenders. We are going to have to do some pretty serious work on attack."
Men’s coach Mark Kake faces similar issues.
"We don’t have a lot of experience. We are going to be made up from a lot of guys from the under-21s," he said.
"And, to be honest, we are a little bit shy on strikers. No-one down here is really setting the competition on fire.
"That is going to be one of our biggest challenges."
The other major obstacle for both teams is they are likely to limp into the tournament, which gets under way on September 16, without playing a proper pre-season game.
Geography and cost have hindered any pre-season plans. It all points to a fairly daunting task for the Southern teams.
The men’s team is targeting a top six finish and has a decent midfield combo in Nick Ross and Nick Elder. Keeper Dom Dixon is another key member of the team, while John Thorn is a solid central defender.
The Storm has an equally modest goal.
"We are looking to develop and being competitive," Bell-Kake said.
"I’m hoping we can improve with each game, but I certainly don’t like losing and I don’t want us on the bottom of the table."
Bell-Kake will lean on the likes of Black Sticks development squad member Jopp to set the tempo in the midfield.
Wilson is a quality keeper and Smyth is one of the few experienced campaigners in the squad.
Up front, Sarah Thomas has been in good touch for her club side, the City Highlanders, but it is a big step up.
Southern teams
for the National Hockey League
Southern Dogs: Andrew Beverland, Caleb Booth, Campbell Paton, Daniel Guthrie, Dom Dixon, Garrick Hately, James Bishop, Joe O’Connor, John Thorn, Kieran O’Connor, Lachlan Davidson, Lawson Davison, Luke Cracroft-Wilson, Malachi Buschl, Matt Moore, Max Rasmussen, Nathan Gilbert, Nick Ross, Nick Elder, Pratik Thamboor, Rory McLean, Sterling Milicich, Vincent O’Connor.
Southern Storm: Julia Boothroyd, Tegan Buchanan, Brittany Calder, Holly Jones, Aoife Smyth, Stephanie Mann-O’Malley, Maddi McLean, Emily McNaughtan, Claudia Peyroux, Sandy Mitchell, Jessica Faulks, Alice Sharples, Helaina Snell, Sarah Thomas, Matisse Uluilelata , Deborah Yung, Ellie Duncan, Brooke Watson, Tessa Jopp, Ginny Wilson, Erin Smyth.
