WINNING the Bathurst Giants' maiden AFL Central West senior men's flag - that is the mission new captain Shaun Noyen hopes to fulfil in season 2020.
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And for anyone who has played alongside Noyen before, it is a goal which should not surprise.
A former skipper of the Bathurst Bushrangers and the captain of the league's senior men's representative side in 2016, Noyen is a player who knows how to lead through both his actions and his words.
He is experienced, he is competitive and he is driven to see the younger members of the Giants' squad excel.
So when the Giants were looking for a new skipper for 2020, Noyen was the perfect candidate. The experienced backman, in his third season with the club, had an inkling he would be given the job by coach Mark Kennedy and it's one he's delighted to have.
"When I first started playing footy back when I was under 16s, Kenno was the coach as well. So I know his mentality, how he likes to play the game and how he wants it done," Noyen said.
"It's always a big thing to go through and actually get the captaincy ... with that many other younger blokes around me who are able to step up and do the leadership role as well, it should be an easy task for me this season."
While he is confident, the task Noyen and his fellow Giants face will not be easy.
A host of players are gone from the side which reached last season's preliminary final, while the coronavirus pandemic means season 2020 - which will have its opening bounce on July 18 - will only be nine rounds.
Still, Noyen is not afraid to set the goal of winning a premiership flag.
"I want to make sure we are competitive, make sure we get our hands on the footy and just enjoy the season. It's great we are actually able to get our boots on for the season," he said.
"Basically the only task I am going to give myself is to give 150 percent to the club and hopefully bring back a flag at the end of the season, even though it's only half a season.
"It's definitely not going to be easy with all the other clubs in first grade, but I'd like to set that challenge to all our good, young blokes who are stepping up.
"They're showing a lot of potential already, even though we've only got a couple of training sessions under our belt I reckon we are a chance of trying to compete for the flag."
As for where he will line up on the field this season, Noyen expects to remain in defence.
"Kenno's hinted I might be in the forward line somewhere, but I'd be happy to be in the back line and do the best I can as I've always done," he said. "I always joke about it when they do put me in the forward 50 that I don't know what to do."
The draw for the season is yet to be finalised.
