Lithgow has been dealt a difficult draw while Nyngan is in for plenty of time on the road this season.

As well as those two, we cast our eye over the schedule for 2023 runners-up Mudgee as well as a Macquarie side desperate to get into the premiership conversation.

Schedule: Orange CYMS (H), Macquarie (A), Parkes (H), Lithgow (A), Panthers (A), Dubbo CYMS (H), Bye, Wellington (H), St Pat's (A), Forbes (A), Panthers (H), Orange CYMS (A), Hawks (A), Nyngan (H), Lithgow (H)

Only two trips to Group 11 territory, two games against a rebuilding Lithgow, and back-to-back home games to finish the regular season.

There are plenty of positives for Mudgee as they look to finally break through and achieve premiership glory in 2024.

A home meeting with Orange CYMS is a huge game to start the season while trips to Dubbo (Macquarie), Lithgow and Bathurst Panthers in the first five rounds makes for an intriguing start to the campaign but there's no reason why the Dragons can't be up there again.

Schedule: Panthers (A), Hawks (A), Nyngan (central venue), Macquarie (A), Mudgee (H), St Pat's (H), Wellington (A), Bye, Parkes (H), Orange CYMS (H), Dubbo CYMS (H), St Pat's (A), Hawks (H), Bye, Forbes (A), Mudgee (A)

It's not what you want if you're a Lithgow player or fan. Four successive away games to start the season. One of those, against Nyngan, is technically a home game but will be played at a central location due to the sheer distance between the two. So no great advantage there.

Lithgow is also one of only two teams which finishes the regular season with back-to-back away games. They're at Forbes and Mudgee. Away trips don't get much more difficult than that.

A run of three home games mid-season is a bright spot but it shapes as a difficult season for a Workies which will have a focus on youth in 2024.

Schedule: Dubbo CYMS (A), Mudgee (H), Lithgow (H), Parkes (A), Forbes (A), Panthers (H), Bye, Orange CYMS (A), Wellington (A), Hawks (H), Forbes (H), Nyngan (A), Dubbo CYMS (H), St Pat's (A), Parkes (H)

Last season's two grand finalists in the first two rounds will be a real test for Jack Kavanagh as he takes on the captain-coach's role alone.

There's no other major worry in the draw or any horror run but the second half of the season does look very tricky. Trips to Nyngan and Bathurst are mixed with clashes with 2023 Group 11 top two CYMS and Parkes in the final four rounds.

Macquarie missed out on finals last season and they feel they've underachieved for far too long. They'll have to beat the best regularly to prove they're serious contenders this year.

Schedule: Wellington (H), Lithgow (central venue), Orange CYMS (H), Dubbo CYMS (A), Parkes (H), Hawks (A), Bye, Panthers (A), Forbes (H), St Pat's (H), Parkes (A), Macquarie (H), Wellington (A), Mudgee (A), Dubbo CYMS (H)

Fuel up those cars and utes, Tigers fans.

Nyngan will likely travel more than 1700kms this regular season. Trips to Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee are added to the regular drives around Group 11 territory. At least the Lithgow game is in a central venue.

Three away games in the final five rounds will also pose a test while the Tigers meet 2023's Group 11 top three of Dubbo CYMS, Parkes and Wellington twice.