Tamworth coach Peter Burke says his starting side has "no weaknesses", ahead of a season-opener against Barbarians at home on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"I think balance is a really good thing with this side," he said. "You know, I look at it and I can't see a weakness from our one to 15, so it will be good to see them go 'round."
The Magpies had a sluggish start to their debut New England season last year, and Burke said it was vital they did not repeat that in 2019.
He said the side was "putting a very high importance" on the Baa-Baas clash.
"Last year we lost the first three or four on the trot," he said. "That really hurt us - it cost us a spot in the semi-finals."
[I am] looking forward to it ... new team, new combinations. So we'll just see how it pans out.
- Peter Burke
While Tamworth have a new look about them compared to last season, Burke said an "exciting" element of the competition was "you don't know what the other team is going to look like either" at the start of the season.
Saturday's match, he said, would "tell us a lot about whether or not we've gone hard enough in the pre-season, whether or not the new combinations will work".
"[I am] looking forward to it ... new team, new combinations. So we'll just see how it pans out," he said.
READ ALSO:
The veteran mentor said the biggest difference between this Magpies side and last year's outfit was the "very different" pack, which was "very exciting".
He said there were "two or three" players who had returned to the club, or would make their first-grade debut on Saturday.
The backline "looked very, very solid". "We're very happy with the mix we've got," he said.
Burke expects to see "good things" from returning Magpie junior Darcy Barker, after the No.8 finished up at University of Newcastle, whom he played rugby for.
Barker will pack down on Saturday with his brother, flanker Jack.
Burke said tighthead prop Rory Marshman had "trialled very, very well and has trained hard"
Another plus, he said, was the return of inside centre Joe Evans, who broke his jaw last season but was still named the side's best back.
Burke is "interested" to see how winger Clint Coles performs after being lost to rugby for several years.
"He's a lawyer in town. He's been sort of concentrating on his work," Burke said. "But I had a chat to him in the off-season and he said he might come down and have a run - and there he is. So that's great."