The team recently announced its coaching line up, comprising head coach Barrett Wilson and assistant coaches Angelique Mawson and Mike Sam.
Wilson said when picking this season’s team there were a number of players to choose from.
"Happily, we were in a good position where players were actually having to fight for spots."
In the past there had been a struggle to fill the slots, but this season there were about 25 players in the training squad.
"We’ve had a really, really strong turnout."
A big plus was having three goaltenders in the squad — Breane Byck, Ashley Dickinson and Nayoka Wellard.
"Last year, we played a few games and we only had one goalie.
"The players are all looking pretty keen and excited so it could be, hopefully, an interesting year for us."
The Dunedin Thunder team was established in 2020 after separating from the wider Southern Storm regional team.
"We've done a lot of groundwork over the last few years, so hopefully this is going to be a season where we can start to see some of that come to fruition."
Wilson was grateful for the help of assistant coaches Mawson and Sam.
Mawson was previously the head coach but stepped back to assistant coach for the last two seasons.
"She is actually playing this season — she is having one last season, playing in the women’s national league.
"She has played for the New Zealand team for a number of years, captained the New Zealand team, coached the under-18 women's team and basically developed that whole programme."
Sam coached the under-15 team in Dunedin, and was an ex-player who had played on the national team and had a "massive amount of knowledge".
"He is really, really good — super experienced."
The first local games would be on Friday and Saturday, June 23 and 24.
The team would be playing against Christchurch team Canterbury Inferno.
"They are strong — they were in the finals last year, and they are really, really strong.
"But you never know what you are up against until the teams arrive and the team lists come out."
