The highly anticipated Southern League is back after receiving a revamp last year, in line with the new national structure.

The South Island-wide league involves 10 teams from the Southern and Mainland regions — Dunedin will again be represented by Dunedin City Royals and Green Island.

Here is how it works.

Each team plays 18 games in a double round-robin, from which the top two qualify for the National League later in the year, joining the top teams from the Central and Northern Leagues.

Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United advanced last year, finishing seventh and ninth respectively.

The Royals and Green Island have returned, but Mosgiel dropped out in last year’s relegation and has been replaced by FC Twenty11, from Christchurch.

The Royals were a real contender last season, finishing fourth overall with 10 wins, one draw and seven losses.

It built a good foundation moving forward, one head coach Richard Murray hopes to capitalise on this season.

"I think we developed over the season really well — we got better and better," Murray said.

"We showed that we are capable of competing with those above and around us."

The Royals have better depth across the pitch this season, which will be important when combined with the experience gained from last year.

"The key is that we’re actually performing week-in, week-out."

The Royals suffered a couple of key losses in last year’s captain Jared Grove, Callan Rothmets and Olivier Cassidy.

While losing their experience was a blow, the team had recruited strongly in Tyler Muir and Joshua McCarroll (both from Northern) and former New Zealand under-17 player Hayden Aish, who was returning to football after injury woes.

Muir brought "goal-scoring pedigree", being the Southern Premier League’s leading goal scorer last season, and the trio were all eager to get stuck in.

"It’s more the enthusiasm and a wee bit of keen to learn, keen to test themselves against the bigger and better players."

Ollie Petersen has taken over the captain’s armband and will lead from the front.

"He’s loud, he’s boisterous, he gives 110% in everything he does.

"On and off the pitch he is just a great leader for us."

There is change afoot in Green Island’s camp too.

Queenstown’s Jamie Whitmarsh has taken over as head coach, with Shane Carvell as his assistant.

Whitmarsh, who has joined as the club’s director of football, has had a flourished coaching career, spending 15 years with the Queenstown Rovers and previously coaching United States pro team New York Red Bulls for a season.

"Being involved with Green Island is just really cool," Whitmarsh said.

Green Island lost Matt Henry and goal keeper Christian Firth from last season, but gained Javier Langley and Isaac Hamilton from Mosgiel.

Four goalkeepers have been added to the squad and they were working through who will take over as the main keepers.

"That’s part of what we’re trying to do across the squad as well — trying to get more competition for places."

Whitmarsh acknowledged last year was challenging for Green Island, winning four, drawing one and losing 13 games.

However the young squad hoped to play a "bit better" than last year, he said.

"We’ve managed to put together a group of lads who have gelled well.

"But there isn’t one particular department that I think is going to be more of a strong suit than say something else."

Naturally, Whitmarsh was thrilled to be coaching in the Southern League and looked forward to the challenge ahead.

"With that brings a sense of excitement and obviously an understanding that games are going to be harder — we’ve seen that through our pre-season."

The league had been a welcome addition to the football ranks in the South.

It had been in the pipeline for a while before it came to fruition and something that had been needed, Murray said.

"The fact that we were able to play against bigger, stronger teams and it’s competitive, almost, week-in week-out was great.

"I think it’s really important also for the development of our players in Dunedin that they’re playing at a higher level."

The Royals get their season under way against Nomads at Logan Park tomorrow.

Nomads finished seventh last season but have a new coach in Matt Jensen.

Murray expected Nomads to be out to "prove a point" under Jensen and would be a tough challenge first up.

"They’ve had plenty of pre-season games as well so they’ll be nice and fit, which obviously we’ve had limited down here with players being away with futsal and students coming in late, but it’ll be a good challenge."

Green Island has a tough start to the season, taking on reigning champions Christchurch United in Christchurch.

"Probably doesn’t get any harder," Whitmarsh said.

"We’ve got to go up there and we’ve got to try and put on a performance that just gives us an idea of where we’re at."

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Southern League

The drawRoyals: Nomads United (home), Selwyn United (away), Christchurch United (away), Ferrymead Bays (home), Nelson Suburbs (away), FC Twenty11 (away), Cashmere Technical (away), Green Island (home), Coastal Spirit (away), Nomads United (away), Selwyn United (home), Nelson Suburbs (home), Ferrymead Bays (away), Christchurch United (home), FC Twenty11 (away), Cashmere Technical (home), Green Island (away), Coastal Spirit (home).

Green Island: Christchurch United (away), FC Twenty11 (home), Coastal Spirit (home), Nelson Suburbs (home), Cashmere Technical (away), Nomads United (away), Selwyn United (home), Royals (away), Ferrymead Bays (home), Christchurch United (home), FC Twenty11 (away), Cashmere Technical (home), Nelson Suburbs (away), Coastal Spirit (away), Nomads United (home), Selwyn United (away), Royals (home), Ferrymead Bays (away).