TEAM LISTS: Derby debutants locked in, Cowboys' big call, suspensions hit hard

Peter McDonald Premiership fans have watched on with envy as almost every other footy competition in the state kicked off their seasons earlier in the month, but the long wait is no over.

The 2025 season kicks off with a blockbuster opening round, headlined by three huge derby clashes.

Here's all the lineups ahead of kick-off.

Saturday, April 26

Jack Arrow Oval, Bathurst

Kick-off 4.15pm (league tag starts 12.30pm)

ST PAT'S: 1 Cooper Neilsen, 2 Lachlan Balcombe, 3 Matt Beattie, 11 Sami Raivaroro, 5 Tye Siakisoni, 6 Noah Griffiths, 7 Tyler Colley, 12 Josh Hanrahan, 9 Jack O'Neill, 8 Pone Tongia, 4 Jackson Brien, 10 Riley Cheshire, 13 Peter Dagi; Bench: 14 Jack Branda, 15 Haze Rewiti, 16 Caleb Wardman, 17 Anthony Driver. Coach: Chris Osborne

New signings Balcombe, Raivaroro, Colley, Tongia and Dagi all start but no sign yet of Tupou Junior Fifita or Pete Uelese, who originally signed with Albury for 2025 before being released. Colley and Griffiths will be a young halves pairing to watch while Neilsen - who impressed as a playmaker last year - takes over the fullback's role from Mitch Andrews.

PANTHERS: 1 Josh Rivett, 2 Haydn Edwards, 3 Tieryn Toomey-White, 4 Jackson Vallis, 5 Jordan Naylor, 6 Blake Maher, 7 Trae Fitzpatrick, 8 David Sellers, 9 William Mone, 10 Jed Betts, 11 McCoy White, 12 Mackenzie Arkins, 13 Jake Betts; Bench: 14 Elijah Sharwood. 15 Kane Arriola, 16 Rylee Lew, 17 Mikaera Whareaitu-Ormsby. Captain-coach: Jake Betts

Plenty of changes. A new halves pairing for Panthers after some major off-season losses. PNG signing Mone will be one to watch at hooker. While there has been plenty of comings and goings at Panthers, expect most of their play to again revolve around inspirational leader Jake Betts.

Sunday, April 27

Kennard Park, Wellington

Kick-off 2pm (under 18s starts 11.30am)

COWBOYS: 1 Blake Ferguson, 2 Ben Cook, 3 Preston Simpson, 4 Bert Gordon, 5 David Stanley, 6 Richard Peckham, 7 Rylee Blackhall, 8 Mac Dutfield, 9 Jacob Wilson, 10 Manassah Timu, 11 Joe Raikabula, 12 Nat Lindsay, 13 Justin Toomey-White; Bench 14 TBC, 15 TBC, 16 TBC, 17 TBC. Captain-coaches: Justin Toomey-White and Blake Ferguson

Ferguson moves to fullback and should get a lot more ball than he previously did at centre. The coaches said they would reward pre-season effort and that's clear with some new faces inn the lineup while leading five-eighth Jai Merritt has been named in reserve grade.

TIGERS: 1 Ashley Davies, 2 Matty McDougall, 3 James Tuitahi, 4 Terry Ryan, 5 TBC, 6 Jacob Neill, 7 Will Black, 8 Rory Quarmby, 9 Aidan Bermingham, 10 Vincent Leuluai, 11 Cale Dunn, 12 Cameron Bourke, 13 Loma Atuau; Bench: 14 Mitch Williams, 15 Dane Casey, 16 Jackson Cox, 17 Billy Quarmby. Captain-coaches: James Tuitahi and Jacob Neill

The forward immediately looks stronger than last year following the return of Dunn and Atuau. Halfback Black would have learnt a huge amount from his first full season as halfback in senior footy and he again combines with Jacob Neill. Former Cobar star Ashley Davies takes on the fullback's role while much will again be expected of former NRL player and prop Vinny Leuluai.

Spooner Oval, Forbes

Kick-off 2pm (league tag starts 10.30am)

MAGPIES: 1 Jack Smith, 2 Connor Greenhalgh, 3 Zeke Hartwig, 4 Farren Lamb, 5 Jordan Hartwig, 6 Chad Porter, 7 Nick Greenhalgh, 8 Jack Hartwig, 9 Jake Porter, 10 Mick Coady, 11 Harry Leadbitter, 12 Traie Merritt, 13 Nick Booth; Bench: 14 Hayden Bolam, 15 Ben Maguire, 16 TBC, 17 TBC. Coach: Cameron Greenhalgh

Mitch Andrews misses out through injury and Jake Grace is toying with the idea of retirement again, but other than that plenty of Forbes' brightest stars are locked in for round one. All eyes will be on the new halves pairing of Greenhalgh and Porter and how they perform together, while Smith in space at the back is an exciting thought. There's plenty of youth in the forward pack while Merritt and Maguire provide valuable experience.

SPACEMEN: 1 Sam Dwyer, 2 Brendan Bigam, 3 Malaki Folau, 4 Felix Igila, 5 Jacob Smede, 6 Mitch Wright, 7 Joey Dwyer, 8 Jake Hutchings, 9 Matthew Wauwe, 10 Tom Phillips, 11 Eden Lydford, 12 Toby Cox, 13 Cody Crisp; Bench: 14 Joseph Silas, 15 Benjamin Thomson, 16 James Parsons, 17 Tye Toomey. Captain-coach: Sam Dwyer.

Let the new era began. Only six players from the 17 that played in last season's grand final will run out on Sunday after an off-season of huge changes. Mitch Wright arrives from Trundle and will help ease the playmaking burden on Joey Dwyer after Chad Porter's departure, while there is excitement around a quarter of PNG signings who shone during the West Wyalong Knockout. The forward pack is virtually unrecognisable but former Forbes prop Tom Phillips has been tasked with leading the way.

Tony Luchetti Sportsground, Lithgow

Kick-off 2pm (league tag starts 10.30am)

WOLVES: 1 Thomas Large, 2 Riley Dukes, 3 Elias Dukes, 4 Lachlan Thompson, 5 Ryan Bilby, 6 Kadiyae Ioka, 7 Kaidyn Whittaker, 8 Tom Fraser, 9 Harry Bender, 10 Lachlan Large, 11 Kye Cameron, 12 Travis Dukes, 13 Luke Brown; Bench: 14 Ethan Barratt, 15 Braith Green, 16 Kevin Large, 17 Mitch Large. Coach: Pete Morris

Lithgow goes Large. Four Larges in the lineup and three Dukes maintains the strong family connection with the side. Riley Dukes has overcome a broken leg suffered in the off-season to start in round one while there is excitement around former Cook Islands international and new five-eighth, Kadiyae Ioka.

HAWKS: 1 Ryan Manning, 2 Michael Latu, 3 Ethan Young, 4 Tom Toohey, 5 Ben French, 6 Matt Fuller, 7 Kaydden Hoad, 8 Deryne McKenzie, 9 Matt Boss, 10 Philimon Kimisive, 11 Rakai Tuheke, 12 Joe Hobby, 13 Nathan Potts; Bench: 14 Alex Prout, 15 Glen Maxwell, 16 Jy Lawrence-Lyall, 17 Kaeden Dickson. Coach: Shane Rodney.

A new-look Hawks side for round one with new signings Toohey, French, Fuller, McKenzie, Boss, Kimisive, Hobby, Prout and Dickson all in the 17. PNG player Kimisive has created some interest since arriving and will be key in the forward pack while coach Rodney is also keen to see halfback Hoad respond this season after the youngster admitted he was a little let down by his 2024 performances. Toohey has earned plenty of praise for his efforts in pre-season and will start at centre while young gun Manning retains the fullback's jersey.

Wade Park, Orange

Kick-off 2pm (league tag starts 10.30am)

CYMS: 1 Pat Williams, 2 Isaac Cardwell, 3 Tom Hickson, 4 Oli Maunder, 5 Jamin Williams, 6 Sandon Gibbs-O'Neill, 7 Toby Westcott, 8 Mitch Collins, 9 Jack Nobes, 10 James Donato, 11 Matthew Whyte, 12 Sam Dwyer, 13 Flynn Packham; Bench: 14 Harry Middleton, 15 Adam Stanford, 16 Anthony Redfern, 17 Don Dundas, 18 Brian McAuley. Captain-coach: Jack Buchanan

Star Dylan Kelly and Jack Buchanan both miss out through suspension, the former serving his first of eight games on the sideline. Plenty of new faces in the backline while, in the forwards, Donato arrives from Italian rugby and Whyte signed from the New Zealand Warriors. Veteran Gibbs-O'Neill and young gun Westcott - back home after a stint in Sydney and the Queensland Cup - form a new-look halves combination.

DRAGONS: Cody Lawson, 2 Locky Halliday, 3 David West, 4 Camden Sutton, 5 Harrison Hopkins, 6 Pacey Stockton, 7 Tom Lawson, 8 Nick Bligh, 9 Jack Beasley, 10 Luke Moody, 11 Jake Durrant, 12 Nathan Orr, 13 Clay Priest; Bench: 14 Jared Robinson, 15 Kelly Constable, 16 Joshwa Wilson-Tuckey, 17 Toby Forrester. Player-coach: Clay Priest

Billy Carberry starts his big 10-game suspension while winger Ethan Pegus is also banned for round one. Jack Littlejohn is another big out for a Mudgee side which looks quite different to the one which won the premiership last September. Nine of the 17 from the grand final will line up at CYMS. Cody Wilson has earned plenty of praise since arriving from a stint in the Queensland Cup and earns the No. 1 jersey.

Apex Oval, Dubbo

Kick-off 2.30pm (league tag starts 11am)

RAIDERS: 1 Josh Nixon, 2 Charlie Kempston, 3 Kyjuan Crawford, 4 Clayton Daley, 5 Josateki Masibalavu, 6 Josh Merritt, 7 Jason Boney, 8 Shaquille Gordon, 9 Cameron Dennis, 10 Jack Kavanagh, 11 Jack Kempston, 12 Wade Peachey, 13 Tyson Fuller; Bench: 14 Blake Frost, 15 Jayden Merritt, 16 Jy Giblin, 17 Harry Kempston. Coach: Justin Carney.

Josh Merritt headlines the five former Raiders players in the squad who are back at the club in 2025. Merritt and Boney looks and exciting halves combination. Filisione Pauta is out with injury while Kane McDermott and Blake Merritt aren't being rushed back after some off-season niggles.

CYMS: 1 Jeremy Thurston, 2 Jack Allen, 3 Jyie Chapman, 4 Zac Williams, 5 Troyden Dixon, 6 Mitch Cleary, 7 Bayden Searle, 8 Jaymn Cleary, 9 Alex Bonham, 10 James Stanley, 11 Jarryn Powyer, 12 Billy Sing, 13 Jack Quinn; Bench: 14 Jarrod Spicer, 15 Afa Collins, 16 Jordan Reynolds, 17 Ben Marlin. Coach: Shawn Townsend

Claude Gordon's suspension forces Mitch Cleary into five-eigth from the forward pack. The forwards depth looks strong this year, with newcomer Collins on the bench adding to it while Seaun Stanley Jr is still to return. Off-season signings Williams and Searle will also be key.