Heat has won the past five titles - last year's due to being top of the ladder when all play was halted due to COVID-19 - and start their bid for a sixth successive Dubbo Netball Association A Grade crown against the Nyngan Cougars.

But this year shapes as the most challenging the side has faced in some time after a host of departures over the off-season.

"This is definitely the most change that we've had over the past five years," coach Tash Robinson said.

"The team is a lot younger and a lot more juniors have come in, but we thought with the gaps in the team why not bring some juniors into A Grade and give them that exposure and experience.

"I think it will be good for them and good for the competition. It will show sides in lower grades that even thought they're 15 or 16 (years old) they can still play A Grade. They're not too little."

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Many of the players who have been synonymous with Heat's success won't be back this season.

Britt Hill, Michelle Regan and Khyarne Biles have been a huge part of the premiership dominance but won't take to the court in 2022 while young guns Emily Coggan and Izzy Attwater have made the move away from Dubbo.

With Robinson still sidelined by a serious knee injury suffered in 2020, the team is barely recognisable but the fact youngsters like Coggan and Attwater are now playing at a higher level is a point of pride for the coach.

"Emily Coggan has moved to Newcastle and is playing with the South Coast Blaze Premier League side so she's doing bigger and better things and Izzy Attwater is also doing bigger and better things. She's at Manly so a couple of our girls have moved up and we're super happy for them," Robinson said.

"It makes me so proud. When the girls first told me, I'll be honest, I cried both times.

"I'm very proud of them and I'm happy for them. They've taken the opportunities with both hands and run with it. Hopefully something comes of it but as long as they're happy and enjoying they're netball, that's the main thing."

The changes have created plenty of opportunities and Robinson is excited to see what the newcomers can do this season.

The experienced Bec Weekes remains with the side while the coach is particularly keen to see how talented teenagers Jade and Makayla McKeown and shooter Saxbi Shaw handle the step up.

"Whatever team I have anything to do with, I'll always have faith in them to go a long way," Robinson said.

"If you don't have faith in the team it won't be successful. What we've tried to tell the newer girls is that we're not focusing on the grand final, we're focusing on games week-to-week and hopefully getting better and hopefully that grand final will come.

"This is going to be one of our biggest building years so if we win it's fantastic but if we don't we'll get better for the years to come."

Grading changes for this season means eight teams will be part of A Grade.

While Heat takes on Nyngan on Saturday, Macquarie Hornets meet St Thunder, St Groovers plays the Narromine Hawks, and Fusion Fierce meets Fusion Fixtures in round one.

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