The Rams thrashed the Tingha Tigers 106-10 in their opening match of the Group 19 season last weekend.

However, things will get a whole lot tougher for the Rams when they travel to Inverell on Sunday.

The Hawks have recruited heavily from inside and outside Group 19 in the off-season and enter the 2015 season as joint competition favourites with reigning premiers the Moree Boomerangs.

Carson suggested a tougher hit-out in round one may have better prepared the Rams for the showdown with the Hawks.

“It was good to score so many points on the weekend, but we didn’t play against much,” he said.

“This weekend will give us a good indication of where we are at.”

Sunday’s contest at Varley Oval is also the Rams first chance at revenge after the Hawks knocked them out of the 2014 semi-finals in heartbreaking circumstances at the same venue.

Armidale scored inside the final two minutes and had the chance to level the scores but the conversion sailed just wide. Inverell then regained possession from the kick off and booted a field goal to win 35-32.

“There’s going to be a fair bit of feeling there,” Carson said.

“We’ll be looking for a bit of payback I suppose you could say.”

Both sides boast huge forward packs and Carson believes whoever gets the upper hand in the middle of the park will win the game.

“It’s going to be a good game of footy,” he said.

“A real forward battle.

“They haven’t played many trials so this might be a good time to get them.”

Carson highlighted a few key factors the Rams would be focusing on heading into the match.

“We need to complete and get through our sets,” he said.

“When they have the ball we need to shut Guy Mepham and Jayden Connors down.

“I think if we complete we can hurt them on the edges.”

The Rams will be close to full strength with only hooker Fletcher Strong missing.

He is still battling a concussion picked up in the trial match at Guyra.