For Bathurst Panthers and Group 10 speedster Amy Hotham that's the biggest thing she's taken away from the Western Rams' last two country championship campaigns, both of which have ended at the hands of Illawarra-South Coast.

Saturday's opening round of the 2019 edition is looming large and while the Rams won't face the Dragons again in this year's Southern pool, combating the speed of their remaining rivals - Riverina, Monaro and the Greater Southern Stars - has still been the main focus leading in.

That's why coach Jess Skinner's named a side with serious wheels across the paddock and Hotham, named on the wing this weekend, likes what she sees.

"She's done that to combat what we've come up against in the last two years ... The way they play the game is so much quicker than how we play it around here," Hotham, who plays fullback for Panthers, said.

"I think most of the teams are similar to the last few years. Last year we had a really tough game first up last year ... when we got knocked out by one of the top teams from the year before.

"They don't play the positions like we do out here. For example they don't have a dummy half, they just have someone who jumps in - much like touch football.

"We've learned from that and we've worked on that at training to develop that as well. I think we've got the right sort of team for it as well."

That team includes experienced Orange Hawks half-come-hooker Bec Ford and Blayney Bears gun Sophie Stammers, along with a host of Group 10's other stars, no surprise considering they knocked off Group 11 24-6 earlier this year.

"I didn't expect to be selected this year. We've got such a great selection of girls in the Central West. It's never guaranteed you're going to get in ... so I was stoked," Hotham said.

Western faces Riverina at Yass' Walker Park on Saturday, kicking off at 11.50am, before taking on Monaro and the Stars from 1.30pm at 3.10pm respectively.

Western's under-16 side, headlined by Orange CYMS' quartet Sophie Banks, Maddie Thornhill, Ella Barrett and India Krause, take on the same sides in the same order at the same ground, but from 11am, 12.40pm and 2.20pm respectively.

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