"It's a bit of a perfect storm in a bad way for us," said Marr.
"[The Collegiate boys], they've had five years of school, so I get that.
"We just have to breed a new generation of cricketers.
"We've gone through this before, it's a product of what's gone before – 10-15 years, no development."
Bowler Lovedeep Randhawa was also in the frame to join the representative squad but unfortunately cannot move his weekend work shifts.
So, for this game, Taranaki-based medium-fast bowler Richard Clough will join the lineup and is sorely needed.
"The batting, I'm really happy with, but we got some challenges with the bowling," Marr said.
For example, one of Whanganui's best bowlers for the past five years, Ross Kinnerley, has still not fully recovered from the knee injury that cost him last summer, and so will be playing purely as a batsman.
Marr will use him as an opener to create a left and right-hand combination.
The other import to the side, who will play the full season, is Hawke's Bay paceman Liam Hall, however, due to a bereavement in his family, he might not be available for this match.
Still, there are plenty of good news stories for a side that has only three survivors from the first representative game of last summer.
Now the new director of coaching for Cricket Whanganui, Englishman Greg Smith rejoins the side, regaining the captaincy he also previously held.
Also back after a season's absence is Matt Simes, the wicketkeeper-batsman of noted stickability at the crease, who requested and received permission from his Wellington club to be available for Whanganui this season.
Double rugby-cricket representative Nick Harding, the big-hitting allrounder, also rejoins the side after not playing representative level last year due to family commitments.
A recent father himself, bowling-allrounder Fraser Kinnerley also answered the call to play alongside brother Ross.
There is one debutant and Marr has big raps on Oscar Mabin, from Hawke's Bay via Whanganui Collegiate, who has played for the Whanganui Under 15 squad previously.
"He's a big lad, hits the ball hard from the deck."
The returning veterans are the evergreen Mark Fraser and the 2021-22 captain Chris Sharrock, along with last season's debutant Harpreet Binning.
Rain had the ultimate say in last summer's match against Wairarapa at Masterton's Queen Elizabeth Park.
The home side were bowled out for 343 in the 88th over, while Whanganui were in a spot of bother at 38-2 when play was abandoned.
Whanganui ultimately finished one spot ahead of Wairarapa at the bottom of the Furlong Cup table, due to bonus points.
Jared Van Deventer, who got a half-century in that match, was their top-scoring batsman for the Furlong Cup season (189 runs), while Stefan Hook was the top bowler for the entire competition with 23 wickets.
The defending Furlong Cup champions are Manawatū, who earned the right to challenge runners-up Hawke's Bay for the Hawke Cup that they already owned.
Hawke's Bay defended the cup in January against their neighbour, and those sides face off again to start this Furlong campaign at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North.
Horowhenua-Kapiti will host Taranaki at Levin's Donnelly Park.
Play starts at 10.30am on both Saturday and Sunday.
The Wanganui team is:
Greg Smith©, Nick Harding, Ross Kinnerley, Matthew Simes, Mark Fraser, Chris Sharrock, Oscar Mabin, Fraser Kinnerley, Harpreet Binning, Richard Clough, Liam Hall (TBC).
Whanganui's Furlong Cup draw is:
October 29-30: vs Wairarapa, Victoria Park
November 12-13: vs Taranaki, New Plymouth
December 3-4: vs Manawatu, Victoria Park
December 10-11: vs Hawke's Bay, Napier
January 14-15: vs Horowhenua-Kapiti, Levin
