The draw for the new competition, which brings together the leading clubs from Group 10 and Group 11, was announced earlier in the week, with Panthers having to play both Dubbo clubs - CYMS and Macquarie - away in the opening two weeks.

But there are some abnormalities, with Panthers scheduled to play Cowra twice at home, while only playing St Pat's once when they've drawn all the other Group 10 clubs twice.

Panthers treasurer Danny Dwyer said the club will put in a request, which every club can do up until December 3, to play St Pat's twice and also play a curtain raiser to the NRL match on March 26.

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"That's something as a club we've spoken about, having just the one local derby," he said.

"It's something we'll talk to the NSWRL about, that we'd like to have two games against St Pat's.

"The fact that Panthers hosted the Anzac Day game this year as well, we'd like to fit that into the schedule around Anzac Day next year.

"Hopefully we can have some conversations to change the draw and facilitate that game at that time."

The only Bathurst derby in the draft schedule would be on the weekend of May 2-3 at Jack Arrow.

The Peter McDonald Premiership has been slated to start on the weekend of April 2-3, but this would be the week after the Penrith Panthers' NRL game in Bathurst against the Newcastle Knights.

Dwyer is hoping that a regular season fixture can be played as a curtain raiser.

"We'd like to start the competition with a game before the NRL game between Penrith and Newcastle," he said.

"Obviously that is scheduled to take place before the start of our competition."

The draft draw has also handed Panthers big away games to Dubbo in opening two rounds, against Macquarie and CYMS respectively, with the trips equating to roughly five-hour round trips.

"I suppose in a way to get those big away games out of the way early might work out well for us," he said.

"It's certainly a tough draw first up against the two Dubbo sides away from home but it is what it is.

"We'll be certainly addressing that in the pre-season, to get the boys fit and ready for the start of the season."

The competition will pause on the weekends of April 15 for a potential Group 10 versus Group 11 and Indigenous All Stars game at Easter, followed by a split round on the Queen's Birthday long weekend.

The season will end on Sunday, August 28, with the grand final.

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