Additions coming up from the senior team such as 130kg centre Cyrus Tasi, a former league man, and the arrival of Highlanders Super Rugby player Glen Horton, have helped add key depth to a team whose Achilles heel in 2014 was having only 17-18 quality players at a time.
"It's a cool place to be in," Whale said.
"There's quality on the bench too, makes us better than we were last year.
"Judging by the 24 at training, no one's dragging the chain either as far as fitness goes.
"The kids ... go into games not fearing anyone. They used to. Be weak mentally," he said.
Having the numbers allows "point of difference" players such as captain Tremaine Gilbert, the Steelform Wanganui rep who made a successful transition from the midfield to No8, be able to focus solely on his main position.
Others such as halfback Brett Nicholls continue to progress.
"No one even pays him a scarce of notice, but I rate him," said Whale.
Having started planning in January, Taihape had tough pre-season games with Hastings Rugby & Sports Club and the Feilding Rugby Club - semifinalists in their respective union competitions.
This was followed by sevens rugby and the first two weeks of Premier, beating Pirates at home and Harvey Round Motors Ratana in the Pa, to the point the team were happy to take their first bye at Easter.
However, Whale is not happy with the disjointed draw, even though Taihape's byes are spread out over six weeks.
"You can't build momentum because you get yourself into form and then you've got two weeks of byes.
"Surely in the second round they're going to jam it up?
"The only positivity is the weaker teams get to keep up. There's no easy games.
"You have to go in prepared and with confidence in your structure."
Marist coach Jason Hamlin can understand youth standing up.
In the 80th minute of their game with Pirates they had the lead until an injury-time try to the defending champions had to be confirmed by the touch judges.
"We played pretty well, but a few mistakes, we could ill afford to make as many as we do.
"We've got how we want to play, we've just got to get the people on the park to do it."
Unavailability will hurt for their second trip to Memorial Park as Cameron Crowley, former Heartland player of the Year, broke his arm in his comeback to the local club scene and will not be able to play for three months, if at all.
Prop Viki Tofa is still a week or so away despite rehabbing his leg injury, while standout winger Simon Dibben, whose job description involves filling wells outside the district, can train only once a week and cannot make the long bus-trip games.
First-five Grayson Tihema has also been under a cloud and will need a big game with the talent Taihape have against them.
Discipline will be the key down at the Ratana Pa as Pirates travel south for the other Premier match of the round, as tempers often fray in the physical clash.
Border and Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau have the bye.
