“Both sides have been training for the past couple of weeks and are ready to get out on the turf,” Scragg said.
“Both will be trying to get that first win under their belts as we get into what will be a tightly contested women’s competition.”
Friday night fixtures start with Te Aowera women up against GMC Kowhai at 6pm.
“That should be a close game between old rivals.
“TA, under coach Max Malcolm, will be out to pick up a first-game victory, which they have not been able to do for a number of years,” Scragg said.
The second match features Zeafruit Ngatapa up against Gisborne Girls’ High School, and that game will also provide an early look at what these sides have to offer.
“Girls’ High will typically start the season with new personnel but coach Henry Mulligan will no doubt have his girls focused,” Scragg said.
“Ngatapa have new faces in their line-up and are an unknown factor at this point of the season.”
Saturday’s matches start at 12.30pm with YMP A women playing their B team.
“Defending women’s champions YMP A will no doubt use this match to try out new combinations against their clubmates,” Scragg said.
“This game normally brings out the best in the YMP B team.”
At 2pm, the men get their go on the turf for the first time in 2023 when Gisborne Boys’ High School take on YMP B.
“Boys High should be match-fit after a recent away tournament but it’s great to see YMP B have got a good number of players, which is something they have lacked in past seasons.”
YMP A and Waituhi meet at 3.30pm.
“It could be the game of the day, with defending champs YMP A up against a Waituhi outfit who will certainly keep them honest,” Scragg said.
A derby finishes the opening week of games — Lytton Old Boys Traktion versus LOB Resene Masters at 5pm.
Scragg is predicting “an easy run-around” for the Traktion boys.
“They have trained well in the past couple of weeks, whereas for the Masters, it will the first time they’ve got together this season. I think you can expect it to be pretty much one-way traffic.
“The hockey fraternity cannot wait to get our season under way, and now all our winter codes are on deck.”
The senior round-robin competition will be spread over 15 weeks to fit the number of teams playing in each competition.
The women’s grade features an initial seven-week round, followed by a split into a top four/bottom four second round for six weeks, then semifinals and finals.
The men’s grade comprises a 10-week round-robin, which splits into top three/bottom three games for four weeks, then semis and finals.
