Three of them are now plying their wares in bigger unions, while locally Emmanuelle Wineera (ruptured achilles) and 2022 representative Slade Hay-Horton (broken leg) suffered season-ending injuries.
This opens up the door for a couple of club bolters to join the remaining incumbents Gabriel Hakaraia and Raymond Salu.
“[We’ll see] whether we get other possibilities that turn up between now and Heartland,” said Hamlin.
“Two years ago, I thought [depth] was a negative and it wasn’t, then last year I thought we had too many, but we actually needed them in the end.”
The group of around 60 means Hamlin is looking about four players deep in each position - offering incentive to some of the higher-performing Tasman Tanning Premier club players.
For example, in the pack are Whanganui Marist’s RFC’s O’Leary family members Ben and Connor - should the latter make Heartland, he would be the first Whanganui cricket-rugby double representative since Nick Harding.
After new family commitments kept him away last year, Taihape Rugby & Sports Club fullback Tyler Rogers-Holden will look to make a return, pitting himself against incumbent Peceli Malanicagi.
“Tyler’s keen to get back in. It creates competition and creates depth for you, which can only be a good thing,” said Hamlin.
The original plan for Whanganui’s pre-season, starting July 20, was for consecutive games against Manawatū Evergreens, Taranaki Development, Hawke’s Bay Saracens and Wellington Development.
However, South Canterbury’s withdrawal from their mandatory Ranfurly Shield challenge with Hawke’s Bay on July 27 has significantly altered the schedule.
Whanganui will still face the Evergreens, but the Taranaki fixture is removed, while back-to-back weekends in Napier to also face Saracens seemed counterproductive, meaning Whanganui will just have a training camp before finishing with Wellington Development.
Hamlin sees South Canterbury’s concerns about the financial constraints of a second consecutive North Island trip to challenge for the Shield as legitimate, rather than the Heartland juggernauts having suffered a player quality drain after their Meads Cup three-peat.
“I imagine the Fraser Park redevelopment [in Timaru] had a huge bearing on what they have to do as well.
“[For us] while it’s still a cost, it’s not prohibitive.
“A chance for local guys to be part of a Shield challenge - how cool is that?
“You get some good-quality football into them, and hopefully that puts them in good stead for Heartland.”
Whanganui have South Canterbury first up at home in a potentially tough Heartland draw in which they have back-to-back away games with Thames Valley and Mid Canterbury in September.
Hamlin has been watching the 2024 Premier club games, and his message to representative contenders is they need to be doing more personal training than just the typical Tuesday-Thursday or Wednesday team workouts.
“It’s not going to set you up for Heartland footy, let alone a Shield match.
“[An opening day win is] not the only driver for it. Beating South Canterbury doesn’t make the season - there’s lots of afterwards.
“But I’m pretty sure I’d like to win.”
