Before the coronavirus hurricane blew over the region's sports competitions last month, Group 10 was set to kick-off on Easter weekend with a host of mouth-watering clashes slated.

We're nearing that date and while there won't be any rugby league played this weekend (and many weekends to come), it's fun to speculate what could have been.

Here's the Central Western Daily's round one Group 10 predictions... if they were still scheduled for the weekend.

While many would have viewed last year's grand final as a coin flip, there'd be few who'd have shared the same thoughts ahead of this round one clash.

Mudgee's departures can't be ignored and even though the Red V has called in some handy replacements in the shape of Harry Siejka and Clay Priest, those two will need some time to build chemistry with their playing partners.

When you look at the men in black, all their key combinations have stayed the same and they've added a pair of gun veterans in Jeremy Gordon and Josh Starling.

Winning three comps in-a-row isn't easy, and the Panthers will have a huge target on their back when the season kicks off but it would take an almighty effort for Mudgee to return to the Mid-Western region with a win, here.

You want to give Blayney a puncher's chance in this home opener but the reality is, CYMS looked the goods in the Bathurst knockout and silenced anyone who was questioning their legitimacy, albeit in a pre-season competition.

Kyle Lovett will be a welcomed inclusion to a gritty forward pack and King George Oval will certainly get behind the home side but the Mortimer-coached men look like they mean business this winter.

There won't be much between the sides in the opening in exchanges but class and experience will prevail.

Unfortunately for Steve Sutton's men, this is too big of an ask too early in the season.

The 2019 minor premiers might have recruited better than anyone in the competition over the summer, and the Magpies probably have more holes to fill than anyone.

The significance of Jeremy Gordon's departure can't be overstated and that's just the tip of the iceberg for the black and whites.

The two blues looked to have patched up some weaknesses in the off-season with Steven Widders coming over from Newcastle to play fullback, and Tom Romer traveling from Sydney to shore up the forward pack.

While it's not fair to put a fork in the Magpies before the competition's even started, we've got to be realistic about the mismatch in round one.

Post-season performance has been a talking point for the Hawks in the off-season but there's nothing suggesting they won't come out and win well on opening day.

It does feel like Bathurst St Pat's are being slept on a bit but that's largely due to the lack of playing time we've seen from a large portion of their off-season recruits.

While they're touted to be influential, Logan Afoa, Taumutu Nohotima, Haze Reweti have all come over from across the Tasman and we'll need a bigger sample size before we grade how much of an impact they'll have on Zac Merrit's side.

Nonetheless, Pat's still should get the job done at a tricky venue against a side that's quietly brought in a few handy players for 2020.