WHEN Newtown and Rugby begin their round one Whitney Cup clash at No. 2 Oval on Saturday the Tigers will be hoping it is a repeat of last season.

The two sides met in the first match last season and it was the most lopsided match of the summer as Newtown won by an innings and 83 runs.

That massive victory gave the Tigers the immediate confidence they needed and was the beginning of a season which ended in them making their first final in more than a decade.

This time around, both sides come into the new season with new look squads.

Newtown have lost young guns Marty Jeffrey and Ben Knaggs, heaping more pressure on experienced players Wayne Dunlop and Mat and Steve Skinner.

Rugby captain Jordan Moran meanwhile has already stated his side is in a rebuilding phase after the departures of star players Mitch Bower and Ben Taylor.

While those two would leave a giant hole in any side, Rugby have regrouped and brought former player Dan Horrocks back to the club from Newtown while the signing of Western Zone all-rounder James O'Brien is a real coup.

O'Brien was one of the Whitney Cup's best when he played with Macquarie two seasons ago before spending a summer back in his hometown at Mudgee.

He will add some stability with both that bat and ball while in Moran, Nathan Munro and Aidan Bennewith Rugby still have plenty of experience.

The match will begin at No. 2 Oval on Saturday and will be one of six two-day matches played across Dubbo.

Much like the Whitney Cup this season, the second grade Pinnington Cup will also be all two-day cricket in 2015-16,

No one day matches will be played in either top grade while the Kelly Cup third grade competition will remain as all one-day cricket.

Round one in the Pinnington Cup sees and immediate grand final replay between RSL-Colst and CYMS.

Colts, the defending premiers, will have a new-look squad with Brad Cox unavailable week one and aiming to mainly play Whitney Cup this season while Josh Smith and Nathan Jones have both dropped down from first grade, with Smith set to captain the side.

CYMS will again be led by Darryl Thompson and they are boosted by the inclusion of Dale O'Donnell, who has been the victim of the increased depth of bowlers in the Cougars first grade side this season.

In the Kelly Cup, the competition has been boosted by the inclusion of two new sides with both Rugby and South Dubbo playing an extra team in the competition this season.