"We had Jesse Ryder who was 18 years old so this time we have Christian Leopard who is of equal calibre as an Under-19 New Zealand representative," he says of the talented all-rounder .
That aside, NTOB boast a wealth of experience in their 14-member squad under the leadership of Liam Rukuwai.
Eleven of them have represented the Pay Excellence HB senior men's side. Only Josh Paerau, Jason Whyte and Izaiah Lange have not tasted that level.
Import allrounder Indika Senarathne, Stevie Smidt and Findlay have competed at domestic level with the Devon Hotel CD Stags.
Throw in spinner Ash Vodnala, who missed out on ND because of the likes of Jono Boult and Black Cap Mitchell Santner, and you start getting the picture of NTOB's potential.
"Ash is a very classy player who played for the ND under-17s at the nationals in Napier where he was named in the tournament [paper] team."
Allrounder Smidt hadn't played much this summer but Findlay says he's "fighting fit" to bring his worth to the table and may even end up wearing the captain's armband as Rukuwai, while travelling, is battling a slipped disc in his back.
Seamer Jurgen Andersen, named the premier grade MVP of the season, played in Melbourne and is capable of hitting a big shot.
"We have three spinners in Ash, Indika and Jayden Lennox so that'll be quite critical based on past experience."
In the winning side in 2002-03, Ryder, brother Scott Findlay and Ken Turner were the outstanding players.
Coach Dale Smidt was the manager of that side who didn't have a coach because Paul Whitaker, Mike Pawson and the two Findlays collectively assumed the mantle as the over-30 players.
"Dale's huge and he's prepared the boys well," he says after NTOB won 18 premier games on the trot to establish a club record for a side that lost in the 2015-16 one-day competition semifinals to champions United Travel Taradale CC but also were missing six players on the nationals trip.
Opening batsmen Bronson Meehan isn't available this week due to study commitments at the Eastern Institute of Technology.
"Bronson's a major loss as he's a rock to our team and he has such a good cricketing brain but my experience and Georgie's will come to the fore," says Findlay of four-nationals veteran George Diack.
Kaikorai and Manukau City catch the eye but Findlay emphasises all clubs have earned the right to be at the nationals so deserve that respect.
The Texans are hoping to get on a roll like the 2002-03 champions, comfortable in the knowledge they have some power hitting from No.5 to No.8 in Leopard, Smidt and Andersen.
NTOB open their account against the Wellingtonians from 10am today.
The tourney started in the 1970s but went into recess in the 1978 before it was revived in 1994-95 from a 40-over affair that required every side to bowl at least 15 overs of spin.
It has evolved from a three-day tourney involving two groups of threes to top qualifiers playing off to decide the winners to a 50-over round-robin format.
Green Island (Otago) have won the champs a record five times with Victoria University (Wellington) next on three.
NTOB details:
The National Club Cricket Championship map on Complete Flooring Napier Tech Old Boys' Cricket Club's illustrious pathway this week in Auckland for the seventh time:
2015-16 Team:
NTOB incumbents (previous national clubs caps in brackets): 1. Liam Rukuwai (c, 1), 2. Stevie Smidt (1), 3. Josh Paerau (0), 4. Matt Edmondson (0), 5. Craig Findlay (6), 6. Christian Leopard (0), 7. Ash Vodnala (1), 8. Indika Senarathne (0), 9. Jason Whyte (wkt, 0), 10. Jayden Lennox (0), 11. Jurgen Andersen (0), 12. Izaiah Lange (0), 13. Craig Herrick (1), 14. George Diack (4).
Coach: Dale Smidt (4).
Manager: John Drake (0).
Draws:
All 10am starts (NTOB matches only):
* Rd 1, today: v Eastern Suburbs (Wellington).
* Rd 2, tomorrow: v Suburbs New Lynn (Auckland).
* Rd 3, Thursday: v Kaikorai (Otago).
* Rd 4, Friday: v St Albans (Canterbury).
* Rd 5, Saturday: v Manukau City (ND).
History:
The is the 7th time NTOB will represent Central Districts:
* 1994-95: 5th.
* 1995-96: 2nd.
* 1997-98: 4th.
* 2000-01: 3rd.
* 2002-03: Champions.
* 2008-09: 5th.
