Speedy guard Tovey, who averaged 6.6 points per game and 3.6 rebounds in the NBL last season, will step into Cedar's place, while Susnjara will replace Goodwin, giving them extra height and strength in the key. It is only a month until the first round tips off when Townsville take on the Cairns at New Projects Australia Stadium and hopes are high that the new line-up can turn their third-place finish into a State title victory this season.

Team training is in full swing and coach Rob Rose had no complaints on their preparation so far.  The Heat's line-up will be smaller than last year and Rose said they'd be more of a running team.  "We are not going to have Steve Constanza and `Goody' (Goodwin), we are a bit smaller," he said.  "We want to pretty much run, we want to dictate the way the game is played and we are going structure our game to adjust to our size.  "We want to make them adjust to our style of game.  "Once again defence will be important, we'll be ramping up on it."

Rose, who likes to take the season game-by-game, hoped having a year's coaching experience behind him would be an advantage this season.  The former NBL and Crocs legend thanked the coaching staff for guiding him through last season.  "It's a different kind of league, it's not fully professional and (players) don't have to show (to training) because some of them have to work," Rose said.  "When I played you had to turn up to training, so it's been a learning curve for me in that way, because these players are doing it for the love of the game."  While Tovey and Susnjara will prove valuable players to the team, Rose said every player would be an asset.  "I think hopefully, from my perspective, everyone on the team is going to be an asset," Rose said.   "I'm a coach who likes to play all the guys when I can."

The team will continue to train twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays in preparation for the coming season.

By Natalie Peut, The Townsville Bulletin