Central North Rugby: Pirates and Walcha to clash in grand final rematch to kick off 2021 season

Jye Taggart, Navi Tiko and Ollie Wright will all make their first grade debuts, the latter two their debuts for the club, while Brendan Rixon, Damian Reti, Andrew Moodie, Jake Douglas and Andrew Wynne will play their first competitive games for a couple of years at least as the defending champions get their tilt for a fifth-straight title underway with a grand final rematch.

The debuts won't be just confined to the field. It will be coaches' Mick Squires and Todd Pascoe's first game in charge after taking over the duties last year only for the season to be cancelled.

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Squires said everyone is "sick of training" and excited to be lacing up the boots again.

That it is against the Rams has added an extra level of excitement, he said. They have been their biggest adversaries in recent seasons.

He said they are probably a run short from where they wanted to be with their trial against Nelson Bay late last month cancelled amid the floods but are "ready to start".

"We've named as good a side as we can for Round 1," he said.

They are missing a few regulars like Tony O'Connor and Andrew Collins while Jack Shelton and Doug Biffin have been named in second grade after being "late starters on pre-season". But it's who is there that is arguably the more notable.

Squires indicated that it is still a bit of a work in progress as they juggle players and positions.

"We don't quite really know what the balance of the team yet will be," he said.

"The team will change a bit over the first month until we settle."

"We've got a few people playing where they don't usually play."

Rixon for instance will wear the 15 as opposed to the 10 or 12 he is more accustomed to, while Reti will play on the wing with Mitch Dening and Tiko teaming up in the centres.

Of the decision to push Rixon back to fullback, Squires gave a couple of reasons.

For one he has "such good knowledge" and "a good kicking game". He also hasn't had any game time during the pre-season.

"We thought it best for the start we play him there," he said.

"He's coming back from not playing for two years."

Moodie will again steer them around at 10, while Douglas will slot into the backrow.

The Rams' clash will be the start of a testing few weeks for the premiers with the other three semi-finalists from 2019 all in the first five rounds, and all away.

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