It's their time now.
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That was the resounding message from ACT Brumbies coach Dan McKellar, who has backed a bunch of developing players to fill the void left by a mass exodus of Super Rugby stars.
The Brumbies unveiled their full group of training players for the 2020 Super Rugby season on Monday, including 10 new signings and as many capped-Wallabies players.
It signals a major changing of the guard with the absence of Sam Carter, Rory Arnold, David Pocock, Christian Lealiifano, Henry Speight and Josh Mann-Rea leaving a gaping hole in experience next year.
The Brumbies are putting their faith in untested talent but McKellar says the club have worked hard to make sure they're ready to thrive at Super Rugby level.
"We've lost some experienced players but we're really comfortable with the boys we've brought in because they've been in our program for a couple of years now," McKellar said.
"It's not like we're starting from scratch and have to bring in a new style of player. These boys are really comfortable and we're comfortable with them.
"That's the beauty of having [players like] Noah Lolesio and Bayley Kuenzle. They've been around the program for a couple of years now, they know how to play and what's expected of them.
"It's their time now. There's huge opportunities for a number of players within our squad."
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Lolesio and Kuenzle were two of several players who used the Canberra Vikings' campaign in the National Rugby Championship to bolster their chances of Super Rugby minutes.
The duo shared the Vikings' flyhalf duties but will compete for Super Rugby game time with teenage recruit Reesjan Pasitoa.
Former Waratahs player Will Miller also had his first chance to create new combinations and impress Brumbies selectors during the NRC.
The openside flanker has his sights set on filling the void left by Pocock but jostles with the likes of Tom Cusack and Jahrome Brown for the starting position.
"He's a good player. [There's going to be] competition between [the trio] and the back-row in general and there's going to be a few tough decisions made," McKellar said.
"The reality is with the unfortunate year Pocock had, we had to replace him this year, didn't we?
"Cusack and Brown really stood up and were exceptional throughout the season. Miller is a good country boy, low-maintenance, just gets in and loves his rugby. He'll be an important player for us."
Brumbies players will arrive in the capital later this month to kick off their Super Rugby preparations on November 18.
The club will host an induction week for their new recruits and will have just three weeks to prepare for their season-opener after the Christmas break.
"We pride ourselves on how hard we work during pre-season at the Brumbies and we want to go up another level," McKellar said.
"It's a good opportunity for the young group. We'll ingrain some good habits into them early and hard work at the core of that.
"We'll get [Wallabies players] back a little bit earlier this year which is a good thing, but obviously it's an early start as well. Time is of the essence."
The competition has been brought forward two weeks, marking the earliest start in Super Rugby history, with the Brumbies to play their season opener against the Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium on January 31.
Membership numbers are 15 per cent higher than this time last year as the Brumbies look to improve match-day experiences at Canberra Stadium.
Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson says the club will focus on its fan engagement as it looks to celebrate its 25th anniversary and improve attendance numbers.
"We want the community to see the team behind the scenes, which will give fans a good experience of what it's like to a Brumbies player," Thomson said.
"We're focusing on our game-day experience, so when fans come to [Canberra] Stadium they'll be engaged with what we do and be able to go behind the scenes with the team.
"We've done a number of post-season surveys to see what fans want and what we can do for them to be engaged with the team. We're very conscious of what we need to do with the community.
"It starts right from when the team gets here on November 18, which will really build on what we present on January 31."
BRUMBIES' 2020 SQUAD: Allan Alaalatoa, Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, Harry Lloyd, Tom Ross, Scott Sio, James, Slipper, Shambeckler Vui, Folau Fainga'a, Lachlan Lonergan, Connal McInerney, Murray Douglas, Blake Enever, Nick Frost, Caderyn Neville, Darcy Swain, Jahrome Brown, Tom Cusack, Lachlan McCaffrey, Will Millar, Pete Samu, Rob Valetini, Issak Fines, Ryan Lonergan, Joe Powell, Bayley Kuenzle, Noah Lolesio, Reesjan Pasitoa, Len Ikitau, Tevita Kuridrani, Guy Porter, Irae Simone, Tom Wright, Tom Banks, Mack Hansen, Solomone Kata, Andy Muirhead, Toni Pulu.