IT'S and old rivalry but when the latest chapter in the Group 10 premier league history between St Pat's and Bathurst Panthers plays out this Saturday there will be a host of new faces.
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From the Panthers side which won the 2019 grand final, it's an all new combination on the wings and in the centres.
Long serving and passionate Panther Blake Lawson had planned to return, but has been ruled out for the season after injuring his knee at the pre-season knockout.
"To lose him in the knockout was devastating for us and for him also," Panthers captain-coach Doug Hewitt said.
"Lawso, this was probably the most keen I'd ever seen him for footy, it's the fittest I'd seen him and the hardest he'd ever trained."
Slotting into the centres in Lawson's absence is new recruit Keelan Bresac, while former Panther Jeremy Gordon has returned and will wear jumper number four on Saturday.
Other new faces in Panthers' line-up include front rower Dave Sellers, who won a Mid West League grand final with Oberon last year, another former Tiger in Abel Lefaoseu and McCoy White who has made the switch from St Pat's.
While there have been changes at Panthers, there's even more at the Saints in particular when it comes to their backs.
Blake Fitzpatrick was to play in the #7 jumper after spending last season guiding the premiership winning Oberon Tigers, but has been sidelined for up to 10 weeks with injury.
Tyler Colley will now fill that halfback role as he graduates to the Saints' senior ranks while Kiwi recruit Haze Reweti joins him in the halves.
The Saints' back line also includes two other big recruits in former Cowra Magpie Lee McClintock and ex-Oberon star Jackson Brien. They had signed up to play in 2020 before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the season.
All players, new and returning, will be keen to impress in the season opener which is set to kick-off at 6.30pm at Jack Arrow Oval.
ST PAT'S: 1 Lee McClintock, 2 Jacob Ciccocioppo, 3 Tyson Medlyn, 4 Jackson Brien, 5 Tye Siakisoni, 6 Haze Reweti, 7 Tyler Colley, 8 Zac Merritt, 9 Mitch Squire, 10 Luke Single, 11 Mitch Browne, 12 Cooper Akroyd, 13 Aaron Mawhinney, 14 Jackson Vallis, 15, Jordan Boney 16 Jack Mackey, 17 Nick Booth.
BATHURST PANTHERS: 1 Josh Rivett, 2 Desmond Doolan, 3 Keelan Bresac, 4 Jeremy Gordon, 5 Malik Blenman, 6 Willie Wright, 7 Doug Hewitt, 8 Brent Seager, 9 Nick Loader, 10 Dave Sellers, 11 Blake Seager, 12 Abel Lefaoseu, 13 Jake Betts, 14 Jed Betts, 15 McCoy White, 16 Claude Gordon.
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