THEIR Group 10 premier league title defence is only one game old but already St Pat’s are having their resources stretched as they prepare for an historic ANZAC Trophy clash with cross-town rivals Bathurst Panthers tonight.

The Saints will be missing two key members of their side from last Sunday’s 22-20 win over Oberon with half-back Joey Coughlan unavailable thanks to a neck injury that saw him taken to hospital, while Cameron Neville will also miss out.

Neville bravely played the second half of the match with a broken thumb, and even up until the last seconds of the match he was a key man, taking the bomb put up by Oberon literally on the stroke of full-time.

Neville himself would have been a potential replacement at seven for Coughlan.

Instead, talented youngster Hudson White gets his chance to start in the top grade for the first time, and he’s joined by fellow under 18s graduate Jack Mackey who comes into the front-row off the bench.

Pat Boatswain boasts slightly more experience than Mackey or White but will no doubt have a few nerves himself as he makes his starting debut at prop after a good performance off the bench against Oberon.

“We’re already without Nathan Lawrence until mid-way through the season, Jacob Bell is still out but he will be back in a few weeks, and Jake Bright is out for the season so our depth is getting a fair test already,” coach Kurt Hancock said.

“But it is good that we can get Hudson and Jack in there, I’ve spoken to both of them and we’ve made it pretty clear that they aren’t there just to make up the numbers. They’re keen to make an impact.

“I know they will get good support from the senior guys, and we’re still fielding a good side.

“I would expect it to be a pretty forward-orientated game and Jack was outstanding in reserves on the weekend in a beaten side, so he gets his chance as a result.”

It is a brave move from Hancock to invest so much faith in White given that he also has a premiership winning playmaker in the side in the shape of Tim Holman, but for the time being he has elected to keep Holman at fullback.

Holman had his moments in the Oberon game but in a contest that was full of errors and relatively little open football, it wasn’t the perfect scenario in which he could make an impact.

Meanwhile, Hancock says that he expects Panthers to overcome their early season jitters and hit something close to their best form when they run onto Carrington Park.

They were soundly beaten by Blayney in round one before an improved, but still unsuccessful effort against Cowra last Saturday.

On such a special occasion and with the brand-new trophy up for grabs, the Pat’s mentor expects the men in black to be on their game.

“They’re in a similar boat to us with a lot of personnel changes, they should get Jeremy Gordon back this week which makes a lot of difference and they didn’t have Todd Barrow in round one, they are key players for them and make a big difference,” Hancock said.

“They will use this match-up as a big motivator, there’s no better way to get things going than an occasion like this against the local rivals.

“It will be interesting to see what the weather throws up and what sort of game it is going to be but I’m looking forward to it and I’m certain they will be too.”

The main game kicks off tonight at Carrington Park from 8.50pm.

ST PAT’S: 1 Tim Holman, 2 Adam Morton, 3 Mick Armstrong, 4 Dave Howard, 5 Curtis Boardman, 6 Garry Reilly, 7 Hudson White, 8 Pat Boatswain, 9 Benjamin John, 10 Luke Newsome, 11 Brady Cheshire, 12 Corey Averio, 13 Joe Batchelor, 14 Derryn Clayton, 15 Nick Miller, 16 Jack Mackey, 17 Ben Thompson