Winning back-to-back premierships is an almighty challenge no matter the sport, but the Forbes Magpies are aiming to do just that in the 2019 Group 11 season.
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There's been plenty of change within the side which won last season's premiership in stunning fashion, with youngster Hayden Bolam taking over the captaincy after the retirement of Jake Grace.
Bolam has been amazed by the effort during pre-season and he and the entire Cameron Greenhalgh-coached side is primed for Sunday's season opener at home against the Nyngan Tigers.
"There's plenty of numbers at training, it's the most numbers I've seen," he said before the Easter break.
Bolam has played with the Magpies since under sevens, captaining the under 18s side to a competition win in 2014 while he was also part of the first grade sides which won titles in 2016 and 2018.
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Brad McMillan and Ben Maguire, after hinting at retirement after last season, will don the black and white for another year, while Ethan Gaffney and key half Mitch Burke are also back.
Josh Toole is one of the exciting additions to the team, the former Irish international now back in his home region at his family property at Bedgerabong.
Toole represented Ireland at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and played NSW Cup with Illawarra and Mount Pritchard before having a season in England in 2018 with Betfred Championship outfit Sheffield Eagles.
Fullback Bailey Hartwig returns from playing in the Intrust Super Premiership in Queensland and Tongia Fox has arrived to join the front row.
The Magpies also welcome players from the region including Jordan Hartwig from Eugowra, and Jake Stenhouse and Hayden Robinson from Trundle.
That boosts a side which has lost the likes of Charlie Staines (Penrith), Ben Robinson (retired), Farren Lamb (Oberon Tigers), Jarred Tyack (Orange CYMS), and Traie Merritt (Bathurst St Pat's).
Trial games against Parkes and Cowra have given the captain and coach Cameron Greenhalgh the chance to move players around, try different combinations and see what's going to work for the new-look side.
From here, Bolam hopes to build on discipline, culture and "doing the little things right".
Sunday's clash at Spooner Oval is expected to be one of the highest quality despite it being only round one, with both Forbes and Nyngan tipped to be genuine premiership contenders in 2019.
There's been a massive amount of hype around the Tigers heading into the new season with incoming captain-coach Justin Carney tipped to be one of the best players the competition has seen in some time.
As well as Carney, the Tigers have been boosted by the signings of English prop Brad Clavering, Jai Merritt, and Ash Widders.
The action at Forbes starts with league tag at 11am. First grade is set for a 2.30pm kick-off.
