FOUR tries from hooker Nick Loader has helped Bathurst Panthers record a convincing 53-12 opening-round victory over Group 10 rivals Orange Hawks.

In perfect conditions at Wade Park, the visitors ran in six second-half four-pointers to secure an impressive first-up win over the two blues, with Loader’s uncanny ability to back-up the ball carrier netting him three of his quartet of tries.

Loader’s first try came in the ninth minute, scurrying 10 metres to dive over from acting half, before he latched on to a wonderful offload from Greg Beahan.  Loader’s final two tries came from two perfectly-timed passes from fullback Jeremy Gordon in a memorable first round performance from the quick number nine.

“We used him a bit last year and he broke his hand halfway through the season ... he was outstanding for us then, and I think he’s only going to get better and better,” Panthers captain-coach Todd Barrow said.

“The attitude all pre-season has been really good. Everyone has been turning up for one another, we’re really close and it’s starting to show on the field.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do, as all clubs do this time of year, but it’s looking good.”

Panthers didn’t have it all their own way in the opening half, though.

After Loader’s first try, Hawks got into the grind and hit back on the scoreboard thanks to some stunning work from centre Viane Falaniko.

The former Queensland Cup gun produced a Matt Gidley-like flick pass for Brodie Christopherson, who ran 40 metres untouched to score the two blues’ first try of the season.

Captain-coach Jason Gangaram slotted the extras and it was 6-all after 30 minutes.

Eager to regain the ascendency, Panthers lifted a gear and Leigh Monaghan scored a soft try before Loader nabbed his second - Jye Barrow bagging both conversions to kick the visitors out to an 18-6 lead at the half-time break.

In the first set after oranges Panthers made their intentions clear, steamrolling up the field before Hawks fullback Nick Wilson bumbled a Jeremy Gordon bomb, enabling Blake Lawson to dive on the spoils and score his first try.

Mitch Davis then crossed for Panthers moments later to bump the Bathurst club’s advantage out to 16 points.

Teetering on the brink of a blow out Hawks rose to the challenge, hulking prop Sam Satongo barging his way over to score next to the posts and, when Gangaram’s conversion reduced the deficit to 28-12, Hawks had a sniff - albeit a small one.

And even then, it didn’t last for long.

A try to Jedd Betts, Loader’s third, Lawson’s second and then Loader’s fourth - along with a near faultless eight from nine conversion attempts from Jye Barrow - rocketed Panthers to a 52-12 lead before, just for fun, Gordon potted a field goal from 10 metres out, directly in front, right on full-time.

It’s far from the ideal start for Gangaram’s Hawks, but the first-time mentor was quick to take the positives out of the round one bust-up - and, if there were any, it was his side’s youth.

“They played unreal, stepped up and didn’t let us down at all,” Gangaram enthused, Nathan Potts arguably the most impressive of the two blues’ players on the field.

“He doesn’t stop. I think he goes to bed dreaming about tackling.

“That second half, it showed our level of fitness at the moment, and it’s something we have to work on.

“It’s a long season, first game and we’ll take as many positives as we can from that and learn from the negatives ... fitness got us in the end.”

BATHURST PANTHERS 53 (Nick Loader 4, Blake Lawson 2, Mitch Davis, Leigh Monaghan, Jedd Betts tries; Jye Barrow 8 goals; Jeremy Gordon field goal) def ORANGE HAWKS 12 (Sam Satongo, Brodie Christopherson tries; Jason Gangaram 2 goals).