The green machine boast players of the calibre of Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags such as Dane Cleaver, Bevan Small and newcomer Navin Patel although bowler Tim Richards claimed a six-wicket haul in the final.
But Schaw reckoned Taranaki and Whanganui had the potential to be at the business end as well because of the spread of CD talent across the major association catchment area.
Taranaki have the services of CD skipper William Young and Tom Bruce.
Whanganui have Ben Smith. Nelson have Greg Hay, Marty Kain and 2015-16 allrounder Joshua Clarkson who has moved to play premier club cricket in the Bay this summer.
Jesse Ryder and Seth Rance are the two notable CD members for Wairarapa while Ryan McCone and Ben Wheeler will spearhead Horowhenua-Kapiti and Marlborough, respectively.
That leaves hosts Bay, last summer's Hawke Cup (red-ball, four-day) winners from CD, who on paper pack the most punch.
They include Stags such as seamers Andrew Mathieson and Blair Tickner and spinner Ajaz Patel.
The Heinrich Malan-coached Stags were playing a pre-season match at Nelson Park yesterday against the Wellington Firebirds.
"We have really good balance. We have plenty of options in seam and spin," he says highlighting Patel, captain Angus Schaw and South African import GC Pretorius offer spin and Sri Lankan allrounder Indika Senarathne is another slow-ball option.
"We can bat right down to 11 so we just to have a plan and put it out on the paddock."
That includes New Zealand under-19 rep batsman Christian Leopard who scored a six off every delivery in an over for his Big Barrel Napier Technical Old Boys side in the opening round of the Property Brokers 110-over red-ball format last Saturday at Nelson Park.
While Pretorius showed nous as a promoted opening batsman for his Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay side Schaw has resisted the temptation to tinker, comfortable in the knowledge that the allrounder would only add to the wag on the Bay tail at No 7 or 8.
Schaw said seamer Ben Stoyanoff won't play tomorrow because of work commitments but would on Saturday and Sunday so the 13-member team would cover that.
He expected his charges - especially fringe first-class players such as Liam Dudding, Matt Edmondson, Angus Schaw and Stoyanoff - to put their hands up not just for CD selection but also CD A side for the National Provincial campaign at Lincoln close to Christmas.
CUP DETAILS
The Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative team for the three-day CD inter-district Chapple Cup one-day tournament starting at Nelson Park, Napier, from tomorrow:
Jake Smith (c), Liam Dudding, Matt Edmondson, Christian Leopard, Andrew Mathieson, GC Pretorius, Ajaz Patel, Angus Schaw, Indika Senarathne, Scott Schaw (wkt), Ben Stoyanoff, Blair Tickner, Rupert Young.
Coach: Colin Schaw.
DRAWS
Rd 1, tomorrow (number denotes seeding):
■ (1) Manawatu v Wanganui (8) Nelson Park No 5.
■ (2) Nelson v Horowhenua - Kapiti (7) Nelson Park No 2.
■ (3) Hawke's Bay v Wairarapa (6) Nelson Park No 1.
■ (4) Taranaki v Marlborough (5) Nelson Park No 3.
Rd 2, Saturday Chapple Cup section:
■ A) Highest seeded winners v lowest seeded winners.
■ B) 2nd highest seeded winners v 3rd highest seeded winners.
Cave Cup section:
■ C) Highest seeded losers v lowest seeded losers.
■ D) 2nd highest seeded losers v 3rd highest seeded losers.
Rd 3, Sunday Chapple Cup section:
■ Winners A v Winners B.
■ Losers A v Losers B.
Cave Cup section:
■ Winners C v Winners D
■ Losers C v Losers D.
