Representative and other commitments could mean as many as 15 players are unavailable for the opening day, placing a drain on the club’s resources.

Not even the introduction of some Narromine players to create a third side in third grade will be enough, but according to first grade skipper Mat Skinner the Tigers will claw through the issues.

“We have enough players that we can call on, and we’ve had a good number of blokes training, but it’s just not ideal that so many will be unavailable in the first week,” he said.

“When you’re fielding five teams every week it’s going to be tough at times but we just have to get the teams on the field and hope for the best this week.”

Dan French looms as a likely first grade captain option in week one, with Skinner and returning all-rounder Jordan Peacock possibly involved in representative cricket.

And with Steve Skinner out until at least Christmas after undergoing knee surgery, it will be a vastly different Tigers side that takes to the field for their opening two-day clash with Macquarie at No.2 Oval.

“Having Jordan back after he’s been playing grade cricket in Sydney will be big for us, and with his batting and off-spin he will be a good replacement for Steve,” Skinner said.

“The job for us is to maintain pace with that top three until Steve gets back and we can put our best team on the park.

“We’re not sure what the Kempston boys are up to yet either, so the early part of the season will be reasonably tough but we just have to come through and hope we’re not too far off the pace when we get to the Christmas break.

“If we are in touch at that point, I think we’ll finish the season strong with our top team on the park.”

With diminished playing stocks, and a round one clash with noted two-day specialists Macquarie looming, Skinner said a key will be for his side to remove Jason Green early.

While Green scores runs for fun, he has made a habit of plundering the Tigers attack over the years.

“I think at one stage we went through a stage where ‘Greeny’ scored about 400 or 500 runs against us and we got him out once, so he does seem to fire up against us,” Skinner said.

“Macquarie go particularly well in the two-dayers and his patience is a big key for that, so we’ve just got to match that and hope we can come away with a win.”

The 2017/18 RSL-Whitney Cup season starts this Saturday with the first day of a round of two-day contests, and aside from Newtown’s clash with Macquarie will pit CYMS against Rugby, while defending premiers RSL-Colts will face Souths in a re-match of last season’s grand final.