The club has put a big focus on youth for the shortened SIRU season, kicking-off on July 25, with Burke, 20, to the lead the women, while Seton, 19, will take charge of the second grade men after the Steamers opted not to field a first grade side.

Burke moved to the region this year for work after a stint with Tuggeranong Vikings in the Canberra competition.

Senior coach Mat Coombes identified Burke as a strong leader with the experience, albeit at a young age, to take on the role of captain.

"I can't wait to get out there. I'm so excited," Burke said.

"It feels like my Saturdays are back when I've got my rugby. It gives me something to do.

"It's my first time as captain at senior level, but I have been captain at rep level.

"I hope to bring the experience and talk on the field for the girls to know they have the confidence in whatever they want to do.

"I want them to know there's going to be someone there to support them and help them with that tackle.

"If they're going to make a run, they'll know they're going to have the support."

Burke is set to be a key component of the back line for the Steamers women.

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The news also came as a complete surprise for Seton, who played his first full season of first grade with the club last year.

"I found out at training last week. 'Coombesy' (Mat Coombes) pulled me aside and said he was pretty happy with the way I was going and would like to see how I go as captain this year," Seton said.

"All the senior boys will be around me and helping me along with it. It will be a good learning curve.

"The thought behind it was we wanted to be able to have enough people to have seniors mixed in with juniors.

"Instead of struggling for numbers with two teams and getting nowhere, they thought we could use this year to develop everyone."

Seton was captain during his junior years at the club and wants to bring a good sense of team atmosphere to the role to help further develop himself and the rest of the playing group.

"I think that's the main thing we should be trying to take out of this year," he said.

"Instead of treating everything that's happened this year as a negative, we can turn it into a positive and get experience from each other."

The Steamers have been ramping up skills and fitness in recent weeks and hope to return to full contact as a squad in the coming days.

Both the second grade and women's sides will contest a seven-round season, with a road trip to face Wagga City in round one on July 25.

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