When the new Coolavin side takes to the field this Saturday in a first round clash against Crookwell, they will not carry the weight of the 2020/21 premiership with them.
Although new captain Clay Woodberry estimates that "five or six" of the players in the team hail from the old Hibo side, which dominated last year's competition and claimed the First Grade title, the Coolavin has the feel of a new team with no expectations on their shoulders.
"It doesn't feel like we're defending a premiership at all," Woodberry said.
"I don't think we're favourites, I think Marulan are probably favourites. But I don't know for sure, if we get our strongest team each week, we could be within a chance."
A debut match against Crookwell is, in many ways, an ideal opportunity for the Coolavin to gauge where it will likely sit in the rankings this year.
Last season, Crookwell was the only team with the same win-loss ratio as the Hibo, with five victories and just the single defeat for the year.
Even more dauntingly, Crookwell went undefeated at home on the Grange, which is where this weekend's game is scheduled to take place.
However, Woodberry believes that the Coolavin will have the bowling attack to blunt the home side's batsmen on the notoriously difficult pitch.
"Just going off last year, Crookwell were a pretty good side," he said.
"But with the team we've got, I reckon we've got a pretty good chance of beating them. Especially if we can get Corben Mobbs back, that'd be massive for us. I think he's a game-changer if we can get him on that wicket.
"It's always difficult to bat on, but it's good to bowl on ... especially with Luke Hayward and Rory Heffernan. They're good pace bowlers, they can get a lot off that wicket as well."
Should the Coolavin's bowlers bring their best form, it will provide Crookwell's vaunted new batting lineup a stern test.
But despite the conjecture and discussion around the opening round of the season, Woodberry said his side is simply happy to get back on the field.
"All the boys are pretty keen to play this year," he said.
"A lot of them haven't played or have just filled in the last couple of years, so they're all keen to get in and play."
The Coolavin will take on Crookwell at the Grange this Saturday, October 30. The other First Grade fixture on this weekend will feature Marulan and MBK United at Prell Oval. Both games will begin from 1pm.
Meanwhile, in Second Grade, Marulan will take on the Knight Riders in Marulan, St Joseph's will play Hibo Gold at Carr Confoy 3, and the Gordon Goats will play Hibo Green at Carr Confoy 2. These matches will also get underway from 1pm.
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