The Roosters are crowing at the opportunity to play their first official Group 16 match in around 18 months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The reserve grade and seniors are lined up to take on Moruya this weekend and first grade coach Scott Barton said there was a buzz around training to resume play.
"We're really keen, everyone is pumped and ready to go," Barton said.
"We've had a really good pre-season and we're pretty excited for league to be back on."
Barton said the Roosters this year had an exuberant and youthful roster with premiership winning under 18s players stepping into the senior grades, while the club had also welcomed a pair of New Zealand recruits and some other local talent.
"There as good as anyone I've ever coached - I've really enjoyed coaching them - it's a different kind of team being so young, but the attitude is amazing.
"I'm excited for the type of the footy these young guys are going to play coming through to the senior ranks, but in saying that we have these senior guys there to give them the support they need."
However, the big mystery is what kind of line-up the two squads will face come Saturday Barton said following such a lengthy period of uncertainty for the sport.
"There has been a lot up in the air, it feels like in that time [since the end of the 2019 season] that a lot of people have come and gone and because we haven't had any pre-season tournaments no one is really sure the situation at other clubs.
"So honestly I don't even know what Moruya has got.
"All I've really tried to focus on is ourselves and making sure we're ready."
He said the extended break had also meant a slower start to the pre-season training.
"A lot of people were a bit flat early on and we've had the build up as the pre-season has gone on given it's been such a break.
"But come Tuesday it was the most numbers I've seen at training in a long time and we've just been poking along and growing."
With the season proper launch tomorrow, he said the vibe had built and the club was ready for the challenge.
"I'm really stoked with how everyone has come together and we're just really keen to rock and roll."
Club sponsors and supporters are encouraged to join in celebrations at the Grand Hotel Friday from 6pm for a jersey sponsor evening ahead of Saturday's games.
The opening draw had been scheduled to run at Moruya's Ack Weyman Oval on Saturday, but ground conditions in the north have remained wet and has prompted a shift of the venue to Bega's Recreation Ground.
"With the ground changed we encourage all the Bega supporters to get along to the Rec Saturday afternoon for some excellent footy," Barton said. The reserve clash will take the field from 3.30pm with the seniors likely to run under lights with a 5pm.