With Tim Mortimer at the helm and a new-look pack leading the way, the Bears showed plenty of promise early in the opening round of the Group 10 season.

Blayney led 16-12 mid-way through the first-half and then edged to 24-22 down just after half-time when Cameron Hobby dived on a deft Mitch Evers grubber to score, but the wheels fell off defensively for the Bears with 30 minutes remaining.

Electrifying Dragons prop Chanse Burgess opened the floodgates before tries to Lee Hicks, Nathan Orr and a late hat-trick to Smith rounded out what turned out to be a procession from the red-hot Mudgee boys.

It followed a blazing opening 40 minutes from hooker Jack Beasley.

The 19-year-old scored his side’s first three tries and his right boot potted nine goals across the 80 minutes to ensure the red-haired hooker enjoyed a stellar opening to the 2018 season.

Beasley’s incisive runs out of acting-half were the highlight of what was a scratchy opening half for the Dragons.

Opposition sides can expect to see a lot more of the young rake darting out of dummy half if big men Burgess and Jack Afamasaga continue to power forward.

Afamasaga pumped out 14 hit-ups, 17 tackles and six off-loads – one of which led to Orr’s try - in his return to the red V after an injury plagued season in 2017 reduced the former NRL forward to just one game.

“They bring four into a tackle … (running) wasn’t (the plan), but when our big boys got going it was an easy roll on,” Beasley said.

“And when there’s none or just one marker it’s easy to go.”

It’s just Beasley’s second start in premier league, understandably the 19-year-old was nervous ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Bears. 

“I was, but after that first touch it was good,” he said, the 36-point win a confidence booster for the young hooker as much as it is for the Dragons as a whole.

Mudgee hosts defending premiers CYMS next Sunday.

“We knew our attack was there and our defence is something we’ve got to pick up on, but it’s a good confidence booster,” he added.

Which it should be for the Bears, too.

After a winless 2017, Blayney started brilliantly on Sunday, fullback Carter Hirini opening the scoring for the Bears.

Hirini latched on to a Mitch Evers pass to score Blayney’s first four-pointer of the season and soon after Evers, the former Emus five-eighth, darted over for a try of his own.

Mudgee went try-for-try with the Bears thanks largely to Beasley during that time, but on the back of props Brady Cheshire and Deryne McKenzie, Blayney more than handled Mudgee’s much-vaunted pack.

Mortimer hobbled off after 25 minutes with a tweaked groin and after that depth became an issue – the Bears finished the game with no one on the bench.

“There’s definitely plenty of positives but we’re lacking a bit of depth, we really need people to come along to training,” Mortimer said.

“The heat didn’t help Chesh and Deryne, Mitch and Carter showed good signs. We fix up our defence and things will progress from there.

“We’ve been working hard on our shape and that’s how we started, and we probably haven’t been working as hard on our defence, and that showed today in the heat.

“If we switch off we’re shooting ourselves in the foot.”

McKenzie was placed on a report at the 58-minute mark for a late challenge on Mudgee’s Chris Ward while the five-eighth was kicking.

While Mortimer is hoping to be fit for the Bears’ next game, which is Sunday at King George Oval against a St Pat’s side that started 2018 on a winning note in Lithgow.