Last week selectors named a strong 40-man Illawarrriors squad for next season, with six players included from Tech Waratahs' premiership-winning team.

Shamrocks also had six players, while Shoalhaven and Engadine are heavily represented.

Paul Mulready was named coach, Phil Green is the assistant coach and Scott McKellar the team manager.

Training will kick off next month, with the Illawarriors preparing for a month-long series of matches in March.

Illawarra will be on a mission next season to atone for their loss to arch-rivals Newcastle in the 2009 Country championships final.

"Paul and his coaching team have picked a strong squad that we expect to perform very well at the representative level," McKellar said.

"Like last year, the guys will have the benefit of a professional coaching team that will have them very well prepared come March."

The Illawarriors have trials planned against Canberra Wests and Sydney Club sides before their first Country championships game against Western Plains in Wollongong on March 20.

The following weekend the Warriors will travel to Belmont in Newcastle to contest the Country championships finals series.

2010 Illawarra squad.

Forwards: Mark Minter (Bowral), James Smith (Shoalhaven), Trent Higgins (Shoalhaven), Chad Fraser (Shoalhaven), Adam Sergeant (Shoalhaven), Harry Hawksworth (Tech Waratahs), Tim Olsen (Tech Waratahs), Richard Hoffman (Tech Waratahs), Sam Buckthorpe (Tech Waratahs), Dean Rosset (University), Jack Nash (University), Andrew Lindsay (University), Anthony Allport (Shamrocks), James Tolhurst (Shamrocks), Raihania Whaanga (Shamrocks), Wayne Miller (Engadine), Stacey Miller (Engadine), Eli Peters (Engadine), Ian Ross (Avondale), Gavin Holder (Camden), Scott Duncan (Kiama), Paul Fisher (Vikings).

Backs: Josh Darby (Tech Waratahs), Lee Martin (Tech Waratahs), Mark Tarasenko (Shamrocks), Scott Tarasenko (Shamrocks), Cameron Thompson (Shamrocks), Chris Bradshaw (Shamrocks), John Millen (Shamrocks), Junior Teleni (University), Justin Placek (University), Nick Fisher (Vikings), Mitch Wakeford (Vikings), Lee Russell (Camden), Michael Quinn (Kiama), Chris Weir (Kiama), Chris Jack (Avondale), Jacob Hurst (Avondale), Ryan Lonsdale (Avondale), Steve Brandon (Shoalhaven), Chris Miller (Engadine).