By BRYSON LUFF

Christie and Hood Castlereagh Rugby League

Local derbies in the south and north of the vast Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition will highlight the opening round of the 2022 season.

The Narromine Jets can expect a warm reception to Trangie’s Alan Burns’ Oval in what will be their first competition game in the Castlereagh competition after parting company with Group 11 at the end of the 2021 season.

The Jets have already established that they mean business in their new surrounds and they claimed the silverware in the annual Castlereagh League knockout that was played in Gilgandra two Saturdays ago, grinding out a hard fought 8 points to 6 win over the Cobar Roosters in the final that was played in very heavy and wet conditions.

Whilst too much cannot be read in to knockout form any winning form is good form and the Jets will be buoyed by their initial outing in the Castlereagh competition.

They will however be facing a stern test in the form of the Trangie Magpies who also showed glimpses of competitive form in their two outings at the knockout.

The Maggies will be looking for great support from what should be a substantial home crowd and the contest shapes as being a solid workout for both teams.

Meanwhile in Baradine the northern Magpies will be hoping to open their 100th year celebrations with a victory over arch rivals, the visiting Coonamble Bears.

Both sides put in encouraging displays in their knockout games and an open and exciting game is anticipated to be played out in front of an expected big crowd.

The benchmark team from the truncated 2021 season, the Cobar Roosters, will be at home to the Gilgandra Panthers in what should be a western blockbuster with both teams willing to throw the ball around with strike players all over the park.

The football at Cobar’s Tom Knight Memorial Oval will be one of the highlights of what will be a big fundraising day and night being hosted by the Roosters at that venue for the Royal Fly Doctor Service and again a very big crowd is expected to take it all in.

In the other first round games Coonabarabran will be at home to Dunedoo and Binnaway will host Gulgong.