WITH a couple of trials out of the way, the St Pat’s premiership defence steps up a notch tonight when they take on Blayney in their opening match at the Bathurst Rugby League Knockout at Carrington Park.

While the event is used primarily as a warm-up for the Group 10 premier league and reserve grade competition, with plenty of prizemoney on offer there is a lot of incentive to play well.

Saints coach Kurt Hancock says his team is ready to hit the ground running.

“We have actually talked at training about how we haven’t won this event for a while and we’d really like to do what Souths have done in the NRL, won the competition, won the Charity Shield and World Club challenge and just kept picking up trophies,” Hancock said.

“It is a great way to try and get things up and going in a new season and the idea of winning it is really driving them. 

“We have a lot of new guys too who want to put their hand up and make an impact and this is their perfect opportunity.”

The Saints team to take to the field against the Bears has a different look to their grand final winning team from last year but still has a lot of experience.

New English recruits Nathan Lawrence (fullback) and Joe Batchelor (lock) will both get their first taste of proper competitive football with their new team, while the likes of Adam Morton and Curtis Boardman also get an opportunity in the top grade.

The halves combination of Cameron Neville and Joey Coughlan offers experience and versatility, and their front-row of Ben Thompson, Luke Newsome and Benjamin John at hooker is another strength.

But the coach is wary of what Blayney has to offer.

Last year the Bears were fairly competitive but lacked discipline and experience and it cost them at crucial stages in a lot of games.

With new pivot Lewis Stanley, a player Hancock knows well, the Pat’s coach says that they are a dangerous outfit.

“The shorter format should suit them well,” he said. “Lewis is from Wellington originally and I coached him up in Newcastle for a while, he’s a five-eighth and has been in their under 20s system up there.

“He’s a player very similar to Cliff Lyons, he just has a lot of time and looks as though he’s in second gear a lot of the time.

“With Josh Rainbow and some of the other speedy players they have in their backline I think they’re going to pose a big threat, they can make things happen.

“Will Ingram has also come across from Cowra into their front row, that will take some of the pressure of Terawhiti Cooper. Our guys just have to be controlled with what we do, if we turn the ball over to them, they’ll hurt us.”

Pat’s face Blayney from 8.10pm.

ST PAT’S: 1 Nathan Lawrence, 2 Adam Morton, 3 Dave Howard, 4 Curtis Boardman, 5 AJ Piper, 6 Joey Coughlan, 7 Cameron Neville, 8 Ben Thompson, 9 Benjamin John, 10 Luke Newsome, 11 Brady Cheshire, 12 Corey Averio, 13 Joe Batchelor, 14 Hudson White, 15 Mick Miller, 16 Pat Boatswain, 17 Derryn Clayton