Tom Hughes will make his Dubbo CYMS debut against Parkes Spacemen in the Peter McDonald Premiership

The current Group 11 ladder leaders will take on the Spacemen at Parkes' Pioneer Oval in what should be an entertaining clash between the two teams.

A former lower grade player for the Newcastle Knights and South Sydney Rabbitohs, Hughes joined CYMS in the off-season after relocating to Dubbo but a torn pectoral ruled him out of the first three months of the Peter McDonald Premiership.

But after being unable to play so far in 2022, Hughes is ready to run out with his new teammates on Sunday.

"It was a bit of a slow start for me," he said.

"I tore my pec earlier in the year but it's going to be good to get out there I can't wait."

After a stint with Maitland, Hughes moved to Dubbo before the 2022 season and said he was aware of CYMS already.

"I'm actually from the South Coast but spent a few years in Newcastle," he said.

"I spent a few years playing at Maitland but was never part of the President's Cup, that was before I was there.

"I've always heard CYMS have had a pretty strong team so I thought I may as well join them seeing as I'm living here now."

CYMS' newest recruit will play on the wing, making a lethal backline consisting of Brad Pickering, Corey Drew, Jeremy Thurston and Jyie Chapman.

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Shawn Townsend's men will be hoping they can remain clear at the top of the Group 11 pool as they currently are five points clear of Forbes and Hughes believes the side is a good spot.

"I've come down to a few games to see how we are going," he said.

"We've only lost a couple so hopefully as we go into the backend of the season we can start getting a bit of a roll on and take that into finals to see how we go.

"I think we've got a good chance of winning it."

While he is yet to play a game this season, Hughes admitted he has heard a bit about Parkes already ahead of Sunday.

"I've heard they've won a few on the trot and have some big outside backs," he said.

"It will be a good challenge for us but I think we'll be right.

"With our style of play, we should be able to get over them in the backend of the game hopefully."

With a strong young core, CYMS' youth hasn't taken a backward step in 2022 and is a big reason why the side has only lost a single game this season, something which has impressed Hughes.

"There are a lot of young guys in the team and if I can pass any knowledge I've got it's only going to improve the team's performance at the end of the day," he said.

One player Hughes has really been impressed by since moving to town is halfback Jordi Madden, someone who isn't afraid to take the line on or order his more senior teammates around the park.

"I like Jordi Madden, he has been controlling our game in the middle of the field," he said.

"He runs around as a young fella and I think he has been doing a really good job for us."

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