FARRER LEAGUE
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CHARLES Sturt University coach Brett Garrett will wait until uni commences before assessing his playing list for 2013.
The Bushpigs source a lot of players from the uni and with the semester not scheduled to begin until March, Garrett will have barely a month to piece together a first grade team from the squad.
To make his job harder, CSU has lost star midfielder Ben Fixter and utility Adam Norton from the club.
Fixter was one of the Bushpigs' best players last season but has gone back to Coolamon, while Norton spent the season in reserve grade coming back from injury.
CSU's only recruit so far is Stu Hinze who will return to the Farrer League after a year with Leeton-Whitton.
Talented speedster Keenan Hanigan will also be hoping for a full season of football after spending the past two seasons on the sideline with injury.
Garrett yesterday revealed he was in talks with a local midfielder whom he hoped to sign within the week, but admitted he was putting his eggs in the university basket.
"I'm waiting to hear from one bloke who I will ring tonight (last night) and hopefully get an answer," Garrett said.
"I guess we have to wait and see what we get from the uni.
"I haven't heard of too many that are coming to us but hopefully we can jag a couple."
Garrett says he hasn't discussed a goal for the season with his team yet but he has penciled in a top-five finish and finals berth already as something to aim for.
CSU failed to make the cut last year despite having a quality team on paper and only just squeezed into the five in 2011.
Garrett says early signs for the 2013 season are good but he is itching on the return of uni to boost numbers at training.
"We started training last week and the numbers have been down a little," he said.
"We still have about 20 guys in town who are training but when uni goes back there will be plenty there. Cricket doesn't help either, and a couple of guys are overseas travelling and things."
CSU suffered through a number of injuries last season and Garrett has fingers crossed for a less interrupted year.