"Injuries and age might count against us ... so we'll see how we go," says Dale player/co-coach Chris McIvor who has the collective wisdom of Warren Gilbertson, ex-All White Jonathon Taylor, captain Adam Turner, brothers Richard and David Gearey, and Wayne Atkins.
Together with co-coach Robbie Parker, back from back surgery but not playing, the Taradale side have the services of the former Rovers players who helped the blues win the double (Chatham Cup/National League) in 2002 and the cup in 2000.
"We have several guys from winning teams so it's a novelty for us to enter the cup," says McIvor who has represented the Rovers in cup and National/Central League campaigns from 1997-2005.
Only McIvor, Taylor and Gilbertson were in the 2002 Rovers equation.
"We're all over 30 years old and we have just one schoolboy," McIvor says of Napier Boys' High School first XI striker Bradley Perks who is also part of the New Zealand Under-17 development squad.
He says the Taradale team are this year in the premiership again because they don't like travelling to play but are not averse to the occasional road trip for a bit of fun.
"We were not expecting Napier City Rovers first up ... but we're very excited to play them.
"We support them and you'll find us on most days in the [Rovers] clubrooms having a beer with them after a [Central League] game," says the 35-year-old of the Blues who are based at Park Island, Napier.
Taradale, who are defending premiership champions, are sitting mid-table in that league because of player unavailability and injuries.
The club withdrew from the Lotto Federation League this season because of an exodus of players.
"We couldn't sustain it at that level because we don't have the player numbers in Hawke's Bay but we'll consolidate this year and revisit it next year," he says of Fed League which is a tier below the Central League.
He doesn't think Taradale will retain their premiership crown this year but will "continue to challenge and be there or thereabouts".
Robertson says it's the first round so they were expecting to draw anyone but they are happy to play in a derby.
"We're delighted even if it's an away home game because we're only away five minutes down the road," he says, adding it beats travelling to Wellington eight to nine times in winter to compete in the Central League.
The Rovers have no winners in the team but players such as Robertson, who is recovering from surgery, captain Danny Wilson, brother Stu Wilson and midfielder Josh Stevenson who were losing finalists (2-1) to Wairarapa United in 2012 in Palmerston North.
Last year Wairarapa United beat Rovers 2-1 in the third round at Bluewater Stadium but lost it off the field when the Napier club lodged a protest against an ineligible player the visitors fielded off the bench.
Rovers will be in full strength, minus midfielder Phil Dol who injured his ankle a fortnight ago.
Newly married Kyle Baxter also returns to the bench as reserve goalkeeper so teenager Stu Campbell drops to the premiership.
Robertson says his men have put aside the disappointment of their 4-2 away loss to Wellington Olympic in the league after missing at least four scoring opportunities.
However, they are mindful of the calibre of players in Taradale today and won't be taking them lightly, although he accepts the Rovers are overwhelming favourites to go on to the next round in the battle for the country's most sought-after knockout silverware.
