The Bulldog was desperate to play under former international and Bullets coach Daryl Tuffey and can now only hope the side progresses through to the finals.

Hales expects to be in a moon boot for a month after dropping a bar stool on his foot in the lead-up to a recent club match.

“I’m spewing,” Hales said.

“A got a message from Daryl before the season started and he said he wanted me in the squad and I was pretty pumped about it.

“It’s been a while since I’ve played rep cricket.

“The last game was up at Shoalhaven or Jamboree and it was 50-over cricket four or five years ago.

“I was really keen to play.”

Selectors have named a powerful 15-man squad to play Wagga Sloggers on Saturday night, followed by the ACT Aces and Murrumbidgee Rangers on Sunday.

Boom Wodonga recruit Cameron Suidgeest will spearhead the bowling attack.

St Patrick’s wicket-keeper Angus Kilby and North Albury’s Ben Paddle are the under-21 players in the side.

Hales said Tuffey had focused on winning the opening game against Wagga after the Sloggers won their previous two confrontations.

“Daryl has been reiterating that the first game is really important,” Hales said.

“Essentially it’s a knockout.

“If you lose you might be cooked.

“It’s do or die. The boys trained really well on Wednesday night.”

The winner of the Wagga carnival will progress to the Plan B Regional Bash finals at the SCG.

The Bullets team is: M. Armstrong, A. Borella, N. Brown, R. Brown, D. Cameron, J. Craig, G. Daniel (c) , R. Jackson, A. Kilby, S. Malhotra, B. Paddle, S. Stephens, C. Suidgeest, D. Tassell, C. White.