The region’s rugby league competition commences this weekend but it is also the start of a new era for Armidale club Narwan Eels who will return to Group 19 for the first time in more than a decade.
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The club have secured Newling Oval for their home ground and are set to host Moree Boars in their first hit out.
"The team is really excited, all grades, from our ladies league tag all the way through,” club president Fred Waters said.
"Everyone is buzzing, they can't wait to get things going and get on the paddock.
"Moree Boars are a class side, they are not going to be a walk in the park. It will be good to see where we are at as a team and as a club.”
Armidale Rams also return to the Group 19 competition on Saturday after playing 2016 in Group 4.
Last season wasn’t successful for the club but things are looking brighter and president Terry Carson said more players have put their hand up to pull on a Rams jersey.
"We have had a bit of an increase in numbers over the last couple of weeks so it looks like we will be able to field all grades which is pretty exciting,” he said.
"Everyone is pretty positive about how it is all going. We are not expecting to set the world on fire but we are certainly hoping we will be competitive against everybody.”
Carson expects the Boomerangs to be one of the side’s to beat this year.
"They have a few players that didn't play last year back and they will be hard to beat, that's for sure, especially over there,” he said.