TODD Barrow may well be 2010’s captain courageous.

In last season’s Group 10 Premier League competition Orange Hawks won just the one game and finished in seventh position.

Now, in his first season as captain-coach of the club, Barrow is hoping to lead a new-look premier league side to redemption.

Hawks’ first trial game of the 2010 season kicks off tonight against one of the powerhouse sides in the Manly A grade competition, the Belrose Eagles, a team which features Orange’s James Mortimer.

Barrow believes the 2009 Manly A grade premiers, a team he knows well, will provide a tough first assignment.

“I used to play with them down in Sydney,” Barrow said.

“They are a pretty good side. There are a few of their players who can play in the premier league competition in Sydney but have stayed with the side when they moved to the Manly competition.”

Spurring Barrow on is the number of new faces who have joined the side for the club’s tilt at a first Group 10 title since 2003.

Established stars Glen Bunworth and Barrow himself will be joined by Fijians Vula Naqau and Waisea Cakau, along with Penrith recruit Matthew Taylor, who has played Jersey Flegg, SG Ball and Premier League in Sydney.

Barring injury, the side’s new recruits should add some much-needed size to Hawks in 2010.

“Last year we lacked a bit of size and we’ve fixed that with Taylor and a couple of the Fijians,” Barrow said.

“I’m really looking forward to starting the new season tomorrow.”

Today’s game will see a number of Hawks players in various positions and Barrow believes his side’s versatility will be one of its major strengths.

“There are a lot of positions up for grabs,” he said.

“I have a rough idea of where players will end up, we just have a lot of guys who can play in more than one position and I want to see how they go in each of those spots.”

Today’s game starts at 5.15pm at the Charles Sturt University Orange Oval.