TUMBY Bay this season will be looking for Brock Birkin and Josh Cave to step up and fill the big mid-field holes left by the loss of the Shannon brothers.

Nigel James and Syd Lawrie have also been looking great on the track during pre-season, and look set to take their football to a higher level in 2008.

The Blues will also be able to continue to rely on the class of Chris Prime, Michael and Craig Curtis, Paul Jefferson and Brian Coad in 2008.

Tumby got the season off to a good start with a solid win against Waybacks in a trial match at Tumby Bay on the weekend.

Players lost for 2008 include: Jay Shannon (Port Magpies), Luke Shannon (Bostons), d’Arcy Lunn (Bonga, Ethiopia), John Hunt (Leigh Creek) and David Fleming (overseas).

New players are: No big recruits but nine senior colts will come into senior football including: Stuart Richardson and Tyson Cross, who have already have been regular members of the A grade side; and Bryce Gossink and Shawn Letton who made impressive starts in the senior trial against Waybacks, and will be pushing for a regular spot in the A grade.