"We have a very strong side, with bags of experience and talent and quite a few ex-New Zealand [touch] players. That quality should shine through," Hudson said.
"But it will certainly be very competitive. We know Tauranga will be very strong once again and on paper anyone could take the title.
"In the senior game, it is very much about playing to a fixed structure and defence. We have to be smart in our play because experience always wins out."
Te Arawa over-30 mixed player Tina Stephens, playing in her seventh year for the side, added: "We are feeling very confident and defence is huge for us because if that's solid then our attack will flow from that.
"Every team is a threat. We just need to focus and play together as a unit."
In the junior grade Te Arawa, who have made the semifinals for the past three years, will be aiming to go one better but the 2015 top two, Terenga Paraoa and South Queensland, will be hard to beat.
"It's a very exciting grade to watch because it's very much about flair and speed," Hudson said.
"I feel we have the right balance in the team. South Queensland have knocked us out a couple of times so we want to get our own back there."
Te Arawa will also look to reclaim the premier open men's crown and compete in the open mixed grade, along with the under- 21 women, under-21 mixed and under-17 girls, but have not entered sides in the open women or under-21 men's.
Tournament co-organiser Manu Soloman said: "It's fantastic to have the tournament back in Rotorua. We're looking forward to some excellent competition and the opportunity to identify some emerging talent but more than that, it's also about whanaungatanga.
"This event is more than just a sports tournament providing competition - it aims to increase Maori participation in touch and increase Maori representation at national level, but also to help with the development of coaches, referees and administrators.
"It's also about celebrating, rejuvenating and maintaining iwi and hapu tradition and is an
opportunity to recognise those who support and contribute to the sport and the kaupapa of this event."
Fellow organiser Kim Watson-Tanga added: "It will be an amazing event because so much talent will be on display. Te Arawa have a very strong representation across a lot of grades so locally we are feeling very optimistic."
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick will do the honours at the official opening of the tournament at Puarenga Park tomorrow morning before play starts.
2016 National Maori National Touch Tournament:
When: Tomorrow - official opening 9.15am, game time 10am-6pm. Sunday - game time 8am onwards, finals start from 12pm.
Where: Rotorua's Puarenga Park.
Grades: Over-30 mixed: Te Arawa, Tauranga Moana, Taranaki, Tuwharetoa, Waitakere.
Open men: Te Arawa, Ngati Whakaue, Rangitane, Tainui, Te Atihaunui a Paparangi, Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa, Wairere.
Open women: Tainui, Tamaki Makaurau, Te Atihaunui a Paparangi, Te Aupouri *under-21 women added to draw, two finals.
Open mixed: Te Arawa, Tauranga Moana, Haurakiuraki, Raukawa Ki Runga, Terenga Paraoa, Raukawa Ki Waikato, Waitakere, Waiwhakaata Pourahui.
Under-21 men: Mataatua, Ngati Raukawa, Raukawa Ki Waikato, Tamaki Makaurau, Te Atihaunui a Paparangi, Te Rohe Potae, Waitakere.
Under-21 women: Te Arawa, Tamaki Makaurau, *to open women's - two finals.
Under-21 mixed: Te Arawa, Tauranga Moana, Ngamotu, Papaioea, Waitakere, Waitara Whanui, Waiwhakaata Pourahui.
Under-17 boys: Te Arawa, Tauranga Moana, Ngati Raukawa, Papaioea, Tahuriwakanui, Te Aupouri, Mataatua, South Queensland, Tamaki Makaurau.
Under-17 girls: Te Arawa, Tauranga Moana, Ngati Raukawa, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri, Waiariki, Papaioea, Tamaki Makaurau, Waitakere.
