YIN and yang are said to be poles apart - and the same can be said for the draw for Orange City and Orange Emus in the Central West Rugby Union 2010 Blowes Menswear Cup.

The two Orange clubs could not have more contrasting schedules to start their respective seasons.

Orange City could not have a better start to the season, taking on Forbes at home in round one before Cowra at home, Emus at Endeavour Oval and then last year’s wooden spooners Parkes at home.

Conversely, their cross-city rivals Orange Emus start the season off with two away games against perennial title contenders Bathurst Bulldogs and Dubbo Kangaroos, before the local derby and then another road trip to take on CSU Bathurst.

Emus co-coach Matt Greatbatch says the team will be tested early by the tough draw.

“It is exactly the same as last year,” Greatbatch said.

“We’ll probably know in the first half against Bathurst whether we are going to go anywhere this season.”

With one win from their opening four games to start their 2009 campaign, Greatbatch believes an improved start is required if they are to challenge the top sides this season.

“We have to play them eventually, so why not at the beginning? We could end up with four losses under our belts, obviously that would be a worst-case scenario,” he said.

“Hopefully we can come away with at least two wins, I’d be pretty happy with that.”

Fierce rivals Orange City Lions have arguably the best opening draw of any team in the entire CWRU.

Coach Steve Hamson says while the start of the draw could not be more favourable, his side should encounter some stiff opposition come July.

“We don’t travel further than Bathurst for the first eight weeks or so, you couldn’t ask for much better than that,” Hamson said.

“We do have three tough road trips towards the back end of the season, though.”

With the assistance the Lions have from their favourable draw, Hamson knows his side must take full advantage or risk missing the finals again in 2010.

“Hopefully we have a few wins early and build some momentum for the tougher away games at the back end of the draw,” he said.

“If you are going to be budgeting for games to make the finals then you probably haven’t played too well at the start. Touch wood we don’t get any serious injuries and we are playing our best rugby running into the finals.”

The 2010 Blowes Menswear Cup starts on April 10 with Orange Emus travelling to Bathurst to face the Bulldogs and Orange City taking on Forbes Platypi at Pride Park.