The Dubbo Demons will travel to Bathurst for the season opener

All three Demons sides will travel down the Mitchell Highway to Bathurst on Saturday to face the Giants in round one of the AFL Central West seasons.

As they did in 2021, the Demons will have three seniors teams again in 2022, with a Tier 2 men's, women's and Tier 1 men's teams to represent the club. Tier 1 men's coach Terry Lyons said his playing group are eager to get back out on the field.

"Boys are feeling ready for the challenge and excited to get started," he said.

The Giants were last season's minor premiers before the competition was abandoned due to the COVID and will be a tough ask for the Demons in round one, especially given the fact they signed former St Kilda star Lenny Hayes during the week.

With Hayes expected to miss the opening few rounds, Lyons knows the Giants will still be a tough test first up for the Demons.

"They were the form team last year and look to be on track to be the team to beat this year," he said.

"It will be tough but we've just got to focus on what we can do, put the effort in and continue to improve."

Like many winter sporting clubs in the region, the Demons pushed themselves during the summer period, beginning pre-season training in November last year to prepare for the 2021 season.

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The club is seemingly in a really strong place, with the Tier 1 men's and women's sides in their respective final series' before the season was abandoned while the Tier 2 side narrowly missed out.

After more than five months of preparing for round one, Lyons has been impressed by the determination and commitment shown by senior members of the playing group.

"I think Tom Skinner and Joe Hedger have put in a massive preseason amongst many who have been putting in a huge effort," he said.

"Compared to this time last year we are in a better place in terms of fitness but not sure until the first bounce, looking forward to how the guys respond."

The Demons will be a bit light on troops for Saturday's game with Tom Skinner, Nathan Carroll, Matt Purse and Dylan Fairall among the nine first grade players who will take the field against the Giants.

The notable absences leave the likes of Joe Hedger, Tom Byrnes and Michael Daly to step up in the side who will be looking to get off to a better start than they did last season.

When asked what his hopes were for the 2022 season, Lyons is looking for the same commitment shown to pre-season training when it comes to matches.

"I hope we can get continued improvement for our away games and travel," he said.

"We want to have a better start than 0-6 that we had last year."

Saturday's match against the Giants will also be the first Oscar Mann Memorial, which is hoped to become an annual fixture between the two clubs.

Saturday's action will begin at 11am with the Tier 2 game leading into the Tier 1 match which will begin at 2:15pm.

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