WAGGA City Wanderers will focus on putting together a strong opening month to give them any hope of making their maiden National Premier League Two ACT finals campaign after the season structure was released.
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The ten teams will play each other once in a nine team regular season beginning on July 18 and concluding on September 13.
Finals will be a top-four two-week system, with semis on the weekend of September 19-20 before the grand final the following week.
The National Premier League Women will mirror the same schedule, while no finals will be played in the under-13 to under-18 age groups to maximise the number of games for all teams.
Promotion and relegation, which was originally set to be introduced this year, has been delayed until 2021.
Wanderers co-captain Carl Pideski said the short season leaves little room for error.
"It's just good to be back playing football and to get nine games in," he said.
"It's short and sharp, but the boys will be up for it.
"The format may play into our hands, to be honest, because it brings some of the other Canberra teams back to our level and it should be a tight competition.
"You want to be starting well. You don't want to have a couple of losses, and then you're chasing a tail a little bit.
"We just want to make sure we're switched on and ready to go."
Pideski said "the time is now" for the younger players who helped the Wanderers to last year's under-18 championship to take the next step in seniors.
The likes of Luke Stevens and Anotidaishe Matowe are expected to be handed big roles this year.
"I've been really happy with all the boys, everyone's super keen," Pideski said.
"Young Sam Jones has been lively at training, he looks fit and ready to go, then Luke Stevens and Ano (Matowe) are looking good.
"Hopefully those younger boys step up and take it to the Canberra boys.
"Their time is now. They've been in the Wanderers system for a while now, and know what it's all about.
:They know what it takes to get to that level, so I don't see why they can't do it. I've seen good signs at training and they have to step up and take their chance."
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