New look left edge and spine as Saints face Parkes in Peter McDonald Premiership

The experienced playmaker will be deployed on the wing by St Pat's when they kick-off their campaign in the inaugural Peter McDonald Premiership.

Though operating on the edge is something new for Holman, Saints captain-coach Zac Merritt said it's a job he's eager to do.

"Timmy, I've got him on the wing at this stage. I had a yarn with him and said I'm going to go with Jordan Boney and Blake Fitzpatrick in the halves because they'd trialled together all through the pre-season," Merritt said.

"Timmy was happy to jump on the wing. It will be his first game back in awhile.

"He had a little calf injury there, but he's ready to go now and looks sharp which is good, he's keen."

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Holman forms part of a new left edge combination for the Saints. Star centre Jackson Brien will be on his inside while Merritt will start in the second row with the idea of linking with that duo in attack.

With all three having impressive ball-handling skills and Brien explosive speed to use if put into space, it will be a threatening combination for rivals Parkes.

But Merritt know Parkes will have plenty of their own threats in return.

"I'm from Forbes so yeah, I do know about Parkes," he laughed.

"Parkes are notorious for starting quick, so we'll have to turn up from the word go, be on from go to whoa."

Just as it's a new-look left edge for the Saints, the spine is different from the one which turned out in the 2021 Group 10 season.

Matt Ranse - who has been super-impressive during the pre-season - will start at fullback, Boney and Fitzpatrick in the halves and Forbes recruit Hayden Bolman at hooker.

It is the same spine the Saints had during their pre-season memorial win over the Forbes Magpies, a match that has Merritt confident heading into the Peter McDonald Premiership opener.

"I've taken off the pressure this year with our pre-season, we've trained hard, but in a different sort of aspect, a lot of games with ball in hand and that sort of stuff," he said.

"I think you could tell that against Forbes, the boys were fresh and keen to go.

"Last year we played Forbes at Forbes - I think they had a stronger team this year - but last year we let them back into it. That was our year we'd be on top and let teams back into it and get pegged at the end there.

"Hopefully this year it's different. It's pretty exciting for us this year, there's some real quality there. There's a buzz around that's for sure."

While Parkes captain-coach Jack Creith joked in the build up that "you can catch a glimpse of your 2022 champions" when encouraging locals to support his side, the Saints are confident of getting the away win.

The Saints will take on the Spacemen at Parkes' Pioneer Oval from 2.30pm Saturday.

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