But Orange Hawks captain-coach Willie Heta is very confident, despite his side being the one currently sitting sixth, the two blues will make an impact at the back end of the season.

As it stands, Orange CYMS leads the competition heading into the second half of the season thanks to an unblemished opening round.

CYMS has killed it – they’ll be there when the whips are cracking.

A serious contender is emerging in second place in the form of Bathurst Panthers, the men in black eagerly awaiting a second round clash with CYMS at Carrington Park on June 25.

But the remaining three places in this year’s top five appear up for grabs, with four sides – Oberon, Hawks, Cowra and defending premiers Mudgee – in the running.

There’s just two competitions points and a margin of 46 differential points separating all four.

Cowra has six away games over the course of the last eight rounds, meaning the Magpies will have to be brilliant over the next two months to jag a top five berth.

Vastly improved following a 38-28 loss to Panthers, Heta says if the two blues can get a few key players back over the run home, a spot in the top five is theirs for the taking.

"We'll get Jedd back and hopefully we string a few (wins) together and finish a few games off,” he said.