No Jon Golacki.

No Josh Brown.

No problem for reigning Maritime Football League champion Saint John Wanderers.

That’s the word out of camp from president Scott McNamee, who declares that all systems are “Go” for the MFL club’s season opener Saturday, May 4 when the Moncton Mustangs make a house call to the Canada Games Stadium in a 4 p.m. kickoff.

“Jon Golacki and Josh Brown are absolutely irreplaceable,” said McNamee, “but we have excellent players ready to step in. There’s a consistency level to the executive and the coaching philosophy that allows us to have a good grasp of these types of situations. We know when guys are retiring or leaving and that allows us to plan accordingly. We also do a great job identifying young talent out of the high schools and coaching them up to where they need to be. So yes, the beat does go on for the Saint John Wanderers. “

During his MFL career, Golacki was a 12-time all-star quarterback, a four-time league MVP, a five-time most outstanding offensive player-of-the-year and a recipient of four most outstanding quarterback trophies. On the other side of the line of scrimmage was Brown, a 13-time all-star who earned five most outstanding defensive player awards and four selections as top linebacker. Both athletes were also named to an MFL All-Decade team.

The duo were key players as Saint John beat the Mustangs 42-23 in last year’s Maritime Bowl, but as McNamee notes, so are 2018 award winners and returnees Nick Bynkoski (top offensive player), Danny Oliver (top linebacker) and Chris Freake (top defensive back).

The team’s player depth, and a staff led by head coach J.J. Joudry and assistants Mike McGarvey (offence) and Chris Gallant (defence) gives McNamee cause to remain confident Saint John will be in the conversation as it eyes a sixth title in seven years.

“Nick Bynkoski can do it all – the ball is going to be in his hands a lot this season,” said McNamee, “and Rob Fox is one of the best defensive players in the league – he’s ‘The Man’. There are other core players such as Alex McGarvey, Joel Seale, Jon Atherton, Tyler Kurnew and Brayden McNamee. We’re also excited that Colin Gallagher has returned home from out west. He’s a defensive halfback and he’s primed and ready to go.

“We lost players, but our coaches know how to get the younger guys up to speed. Players like Daniel Bell and Colin Sleigh are among the best ones to come out of high school in the past two or three years. The boys are competing in practice for spots – there is competition within the team.”

McNamee is also encouraged by the healthy state of the MFL, which will add two franchises – the expansion Southern NB Ducks and the reinstated Nova Scotia Buccaneers – to its stable that includes the Wanderers, Mustangs, the Halifax Harbour Hawks and the Mariners of Prince Edward Island.

Teams will pair off to play a home-and-home series against one opponent and single games against the other four entries for a six-game schedule. The Wanderers-Mustangs game is one of three to open the season May 4 – the Ducks get their baptism by fire when they host the Mariners in a 1 p.m. kickoff at Kennebecasis Valley High School while the two Halifax-based teams play in Bedford, N.S. at 4 p.m. The top four teams advance to semifinal playoff action June 15, setting the stage the Maritime Bowl on June 22.

McNamee believes there are enough players in the Halifax and Saint John regions to sustain two programs, but that’s as far as he’ll go.

“There are good, young players around, but finding enough seasoned football players – that’s the challenge,” he said. “Having another team in Greater Saint John will not affect us that much, other than playing a game without any travel involved. We’re good to go.”