BEAT the Orange Emus - it was something that Bathurst Bulldogs were unable to manage last year but they won't have to wait long in 2021 to try and enact some revenge on their fierce Blowes Clothing Cup rivals.
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A draft version of the 2021 draw has Bulldogs scheduled to meet Emus on April 17 in a tantalising season-opener.
The match will be played at Ashwood Park - a venue where Bulldogs triumphed over Emus in the 2019 grand final but fell twice to the greens last year.
When Emus won the first of those matches 22-11, it ended a 23-game winning streak by Bulldogs' first XV at Ashwood Park.
When Emus won the second 27-22 it sealed them the minor premiership.
The two sides met once more in 2020 - in the sudden-death semi-final at Wade Park. Emus also got the better of Bulldogs in that contest as they held on for a 26-20 victory.
The blockbuster season-opening round will be one of 15 scheduled for the season, the draw returning to a longer format after being reduced in 2020 in the wake of COVID-19.
Central West Rugby Union CEO Matt Tink said the decision to lengthen the draw was easy.
"Look, if you roll your ankle and are out for three-four weeks in a 10-round season, that's almost half the year gone," Tink said.
"It's the same with suspensions ... it can be as much as a mistake in a tackle and you're out for a month."
Another difference is the draw features a week off between rounds 12 and 13. It aims to refresh players before the finals series.
"After getting some feedback from the players, they were all saying that they tend to be pretty worn down by that final round," Tink said.
"We've decided to make that week off a little bit earlier.
"If the players want to go skiing for a weekend, they can ... if they want to go to Sydney and get on the cans, they can."
Tink is still working to finalise the New Holland Cup draw, but preliminary plans suggest that competition will start two weeks prior to the premiere tournament and will finish earlier.
That will be a five-team competition and include CSU.
