Dubbo CYMS will host Bathurst Panthers in the opening Peter McDonald Premiership round

The Fishies will be in action on Sunday for round one of the season against Bathurst Panthers, their first time back at Apex Oval since losing last year's decider against Forbes.

With largely the same squad as last season, the expectation is that CYMS will be somewhere near the top again this year with Shawn Townsend also coming back as coach.

Notorious for putting his sides through challenging pre-seasons, Townsend stepped things up a notch again over the summer but prop Jarryn Powyer believes it has prepared them well for the season ahead.

"It was probably a little bit tougher than previous years," he said.

"We will certainly need it, over the last couple of weeks we've just been getting our side together and it's been a bit of a headache for him.

"There have been quite a few players for him to select which has been good."

Much has been made of the young guns the club has lost, but the next crop of youngsters is looking to make their mark.

Kyjuan Crawford starts in the centres while Townsend has named a youthful bench, something Powyer is excited by.

"The best thing is the side is very similar to last year," he said.

"A lot of the new blokes are ones of have played reserve grade and have been around for a while pushing for a spot.

"Guys like Kyjuan (Crawford), Sully Haycock, Jamyn Cleary and Tom Stimpson all played first grade at some point last year.

"They are going to look to cement themselves this year."

A pair of new additions from other clubs around the competition have also made themselves at home with CYMS, Chanse Burgess' arrival from Mudgee gives the Fishies another key forward while Claude Gordon has slotted right into the halves.

"Chanse and Claude are big inclusions for us," Powyer said.

"Chanse played big minutes in the trial at Molong and had a big impact on us that's for sure.

"Claude played in the COVID season with us and has picked things up straight away," he said.

"He's probably the most confident ballplayer I've ever seen, he just picks up everything 'Shaggy' throws at him and puts his own thing on it as well."

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Burgess has been named to start at lock, moving Jayden Merritt to the edge to partner Billy Sing in the second row, a move Powyer believes gives them a bit of strike across the park.

"Jayden has played on an edge before and does a great job there too," he said.

"It gives 'Shaggy' (Townsend) a bit more flexibility to chop and change, Chanse wouldn't look out of place in the front row as well but he has a bit more skill which can get across the park a bit."

CYMS are no strangers to losing talented juniors to Sydney, the likes of Matt Burton, Tony Pellow and Isaah Yeo have all left the club but a few key figures still remain.

Ben Marlin, Alex Bonham, Jyie Chapman, Sing and Powyer have all been part of the first grade for the last decade or so, with the latter admitting it is quite a rarity to see such loyalty in country rugby league.

"It's always the same faces, we are all getting a bit long in the tooth now," he said.

"Most of us aren't too far off turning 30, considering Group 11 footy, usually teams change from year to year but we stick together pretty well.

"It's always two or three new blokes each year."

Bathurst Panthers will be a new-look side in 2023, Doug Hewitt has returned to the club while several former juniors have made their way back to the team as well.

But for Powyer, he hasn't looked too far into any side but his own this season.

"I've got no idea what's going on with other clubs," he said.

"It's the old cliche but it's round one and we've got so much to worry about with our own game.

"We've only had the one trial so everyone will be keen but we haven't had too much footy under our belt."

Kick off is at 2:30pm.

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