The pair, who cut their teeth on community station 3WAY FM in the south-west, had moved from graveyard shifts to weekend breakfast on the ABC youth network.

In 2010 they will replace station stalwart Robbie Buck, writer Marieke Hardy and musician Lindsay "The Doctor" McDougall.

Ballard and Dyson are aged 19 and 21, making them the youngest breakfast team in the country, according to a Triple J press release.

Station manager Ann Chesterman said Triple J was excited by the prospect of having the pair head its flagship breakfast spot.

“They’re fresh, intelligent, funny and smack bang in the demographic of the Triple J audience,” Chesterman said.

“The show will be very interactive, not just on radio but cross platform opening the conversation between Tom and Alex and their audience.”

Ballard said he and Dyson had known about the possibility of moving to weekday breakfast many months ago.

“I’m terrified and excited,” he said.

“They’d mentioned looking at something like this for our future (but) next year is very soon. I was really surprised because we’ve only been at Triple J for about three years.

“Alex and I have had these bizarre moments the whole way at Triple J. When they first approached us it was amazing and when they asked us to fill in on weekends it was nuts.

'We just look at each other incredulously and then figure out how we’re going to not screw it up.”

The pair have some big shoes to fill, not only those of Robbie, Marieke and The Doctor.

Past breakfast hosts have included Adam Spencer and Wil Anderson, while in the ’90s there was Paul McDermott, Mikey Robbins and The Sandman.

“They call it the flagship show,” Ballard said.

“(The breakfast hosts) are kind of the face of the station. When Adam and Wil were doing it, that’s who people thought of when they thought of Triple J.

“I’m excited they’ve made the choice to go with a fresh change — two dudes in the demographic they’re aiming for. I feel like they’re taking a punt on us.’’