Coach Cameron Greenhalgh wants the Forbes Magpies to start with "all guns blazing" this Group 11 season and if history is anything to go by, that will be vitally important.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Magpies start their 2019 campaign at home on Sunday against a Nyngan Tigers side tipped by many to be the side to watch this season.
Greenhalgh is one of many who have spoken about the need to start well in the build-up to the new season. While others might say it's about peaking at the right time, in recent years the sides who have started with a win have gone on to enjoy major success.
In the past seven seasons, the eventual premier has avoided defeat in the opening round.
Interestingly, the past three premiers have all started their campaigns with victory over Dubbo Westside.
Forbes started last season with a 28-8 win over Westside last year before going on to lift the silverware in September, while the Magpies also accounted for Westside 52-22 to start a 2016 season which also ended in premiership success.
RELATED:
Those two years were sandwiched by a Dubbo CYMS title win, one which began with a massive 102-0 win over the Rabbitohs.
"That's the challenge for the boys this year," Greenhalgh told the Get 'Em Onside podcast during pre-season.
"Right from the word go we want to be number one or number two throughout the year.
"That's the plan, to go out all guns blazing."
It's not just Westside who has been unable to beat the eventual premier in round one.
The 2015 season saw CYMS down Narromine 60-0 in the opening game and that season they lost just once in a run to the decider.
CYMS also won the 2014 grand final and while they didn't win in round one, they also didn't lose in a 22-all draw with Cobar.
Macquarie experienced something similar two years earlier. The Raiders drew with CYMS 18-all in round and then went on to down the Fishies in that year's decider.
In between those years, Parkes' charge to a powerful grand final win over CYMS started with 22-18 win over the Fishies.
The last time an eventual premier didn't win in round one was back in 2011 when CYMS not only lost its first game, but its first three.
So who's the sides to watch this weekend?
Right from the word go we want to be number one or number two throughout the year.
- Forbes coach Cameron Greenhalgh
Parkes and new coach Brent Wood will hope Westside's run of meeting the eventual champions to start with continues as the Spacemen trek to Caltex Park in round one.
The Spacemen, boosted by the returns of Sam Dwyer and Brandon Tago, will be worth watching as an increased focus on fitness in the off-season has them eyeing consistent success in 2019.
The Magpies' clash with Nyngan may well give a great indication of potential premiers when they do battle at Pioneer Oval on Sunday.
Dubbo CYMS kicks off the new season on Saturday in what is sure to be a grudge match against the Wellington Cowboys.
The Fishies have always begun well in recent times and that isn't expected to change despite Tim Ryan departing as coach and Jarryn Powyer taking over.
If anything they appear stronger after a pre-season which included three bruising and hugely impressive Challenge Cup wins.
"Winning is just an expectation," Powyer said previously.
"We talk about expectation at training and if we're not winning then we're not doing our job because the club's expectations are so high."
Narromine will host Macquarie in the round's other match on Sunday, one certain to be fiery after the sides traded captain-coaches during the off-season.
The winner in those game may well be worth keeping an eye on moving forward.