Johnboy Quinlin won't be far from Barbarians' hearts this season.
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The beloved footballer passed away suddenly late last month.
As a tribute to Quinlin, club president and captain Rhys Graham said they are having shorts made up with his initials stitched into them.
"That's something special to us," Graham said.
"This season is pretty well for him."
"He did a lot for our club."
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With Quinlin's passing it has been a tough month for the club. But as they prepare for the season kick-off next month, with a new coach on board and an influx of players, there is an air of anticipation.
Following the cancellation of the Group 19 season, a lot of Quinlin's family and friends from Narwan and Armidale (he played for both clubs) have "jumped on board".
They promise to bring an exciting and unpredictable edge to the Baa Baas attack.
The COVID restrictions have made teaching the vagaries of rugby to them quite a challenge, with currently no contact allowed at training (that changes on July 1).
But as someone who has made the transition from league to union, Graham expects that once they are able to really hone in on some of those skills, it won't take them to long to get a handle on things.
He said the same thing about Quinlin, in the wake of his death.
"Like a lot of Aboriginal players, they can pick up anything as soon as they learn the basics for it. Johnboy was no exception. He was just phenomenal," Graham had said.
Former Inverell mentor Scott Bremner has taken on the first grade coaching role.
"He moved to Armidale at the end of 2018. He saw what spirit our club had and wanted to get involved again," Graham said.
He played under Bremner during his days with the Highlanders, and said he will be great for them.
The women's side were the shining light for the club last season taking out the premiership.
Will Green will again coach the Barbets, and while they will have some tough competition Graham said they are looking very strong.
"The women are the pride of our club because they do represent themselves so well," he said.
The men's side will be the first to get a look at Walcha, drawing the newcomers in the opening round.
