After winning the inaugural Peter McDonald Premiership in 2022, hopes were high heading into last winter, but the side finished bottom of the Group 11 pool after winning just three games.

Now, on the eve of the 2024 season, the Magpies are being spoken about as one of the top contenders for the title again.

Here's why.

It was pretty clear towards the end of last season rookie captain-coaches Nick Greenhalgh and Mitch Andrews weren't keen to go around again. The disappointing season had taken a toll.

Not only did Andrews step down from the role, he left the club and joined Bathurst St Pat's in one of the biggest moves of the off-season.

Highly-respected premiership-winning coach Cameron Greenhalgh returned and made his presence felt very quickly.

Even before pre-season had started, players knew they were in for a punish after the coach said "I would have been a little bit harder on blokes" if he'd been in the role in 2023.

"I told them it would be the hardest pre-season we've had to date and it's been like that," Greenhalgh said.

"They've moved on, well and truly ... you've got blokes ripping into each other at training and we go at it pretty physically. It can get very heated at times and it doesn't faze me at all.

"That's when I know they really want to be the best they can be."

As well as Andrews, versatile outside back Ray Towney went to St Pat's and Tongia Fox made the move to Yenda.

If a full-on pre-season campaign wasn't enough to have the Magpies prepared, an influx of familiar faces certainly helped.

The biggest signing was that of Jake Grace. A legend at the club and three-time premiership winner, the tireless back-rower simply makes those around him better.

Jake Haddrill and Ben Maguire also add much-needed experience to the forward pack while some star juniors are also back after time with NRL clubs.

Jack Hartwig (Canberra Raiders), Tom Phillips (St George Illawarra Dragons) and Campbell Rubie (St George Illawarra) are expected to provide a huge amount of energy while the versatile Jack Smith is another key addition after spending time with the Roosters.

"We have got a lot of boys around the 20, 21, 22 years of age and the biggest thing to get them over the line is when you've got someone of Jake Grace's calibre, who never gives anything but 100 per cent," Greenhalgh said.

"It's probably what they lacked a little. He's someone who can steady the ship and keep everyone focused."

Replacing Andrews is the biggest question mark for Forbes. Smith, who previously impressed at Dubbo CYMS and produced a number of highlights at the Roosters, is a chance while Tom Toohey and Connor Greenhalgh are others in the mix for the number one jersey.

Richard Fui is set to return from Fiji again while there is the chance former NRL player Pio Seci could come back for a second season at Forbes.

Smith could also feature at five-eighth but Tom Caldwell and Jordan Hartwig may also partner Nick Greenhalgh.

In the forwards, there's simply more players than positions.

"I can't fit them all in the 17 and I told them right from the word go we'll probably go with our fittest team," Greenhalgh previously said.

"It's pretty loaded."

Potential lineup: 1 Jack Smith, 2 Connor Greenhalgh, 3 Tom Toohey, 4 Richard Fui, 5 Coopa Martin, 6 Tom Caldwell, 7 Nick Greenhalgh, 8 Tom Phillips, 9 Jordan Hartwig, 10 Jack Hartwig, 11 Charlie Lennon, 12 Traie Merritt, 13 Jake Grace; Bench: 14 Campbell Rubie, 15 Jake Haddrill, 16 Marty Herbert, 17 Toby Hurford.

All the right noises are coming out of Forbes. Everyone is flying in pre-season, the old heads are setting the standard and halfback Nick Greenhalgh is reportedly the fittest he's been in some time.

If Smith makes the fullback spot his own he could provide a real point of difference while former Queensland Cup player Mosese Quionimacawa has been linked with a return.

With one of the best forward packs in the competition, Forbes is guaranteed to perform better than last year and a top four finish looks more than achievable.

From there, as the Magpies know all too well, anything is possible.