Given how tight the 2017 Group 10 premiership is tipped to be. Given the quality of the players recruited to the area. Given how both teams fared in 2016.
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Has a round one match ever meant so much to either Orange Hawks or the Blayney Bears?
Both clubs will get their chance to jump start their 2017 campaigns at King George Oval on Sunday, the clubs agreeing to move their scheduled round two clash forward to avoid playing on the Easter long weekend.
For Hawks, with new captain-coach Willie Heta impressing with the Group 10 All Stars and then again in the two blues promising Bathurst Knockout campaign, talk is cheap.
He’s keen to let his team’s performances speak volumes. A strong start on Sunday will go along way towards doing just that.
“Pre-season knockouts, trials, those sort of games, those results don’t mean anything come round one,” Heta said.
“Injuries have hit, we’re without Nathan Potts for at least this week, but the guys we’ve got running out, I’ve got every confidence in them to do the job.”
Blayney’s Will Ingram, another first time captain-coach in 2017, says attitude will be key for the Bears this season.
“If you can start the year with a win then it gives you plenty of confidence heading into the week-to-week grind,” Ingram said.
This Sunday’s season opener won’t be the first time Ingram’s Bears and Heta’s Hawks have gone toe-to-toe this season.
The two blues knocked off Blayney 16-4 in the opening round of the Bathurst Knockout – a result Heta isn’t reading too much into.
Ingram though, says he’s expecting a similar Hawks team to the one that his side battled to contain last weekend.
“We are expecting Hawks to come out with the high pace they showed at the knockout last week,” he said.
“If we can match their enthusiasm and defend well, we have the talent to come away with it. If those things go our way we'll be happy with our start to the season.”
Hawks will trot out a number of players who’ll make their Group 10 debuts, Heta leading the likes of Ethan Harris, props Sia Naomi and Sione Tongia and former Parkes backrower Ethan McKellar.
Former Bears hooker Bobby Brown will make his Hawks debut at lock.
“This is a really young side and a win would do their confidence the world of good to start the season,” Heta added.
Sunday’s games kick-off at 11am with the under 18s, premier league begins at 1.40pm at King George Oval.