The Cherrypickers have been drawn to face Group 11 club Forbes in their opening round of the pre-season event.

However they will be without a couple of key forwards on Friday.

Former Riverina representative Aaron Slater and Saul Lealaitafea are both unavailable for the weekend.

Blake Hewitt also won't line up after being tipped out during a harness race at Bathurst last week.

However new coach Nick Hall is looking to use the event as a good guide to find where the team is at.

"There is no need to rush anyone at this time of year and I'm looking at Wyalong as a good chance to get together and have a game-like intensity run," Hall said.

"You can replicate it as much as you can at training but it is not the same and it is good to have that franticness, rush and eagerness that happens."

While their forward pack has taken a hit, Hall has backed some of the younger 'Pickers brigade to step up to the mark.

He believes the side will have a good balance of experience and youth.

"We will have a slightly different front row this weekend," he said.

"I will probably use Warren Aiken and Richo (Kyle Richens) plus one or two of the younger faces this weekend.

"Jayke Hogan played prop for the rep side last week and went really well."

However Mia Tema returns to the side despite spending the pre-season in New Zealand while former captain-coach James Woolford is one of the new faces at the club following last year's disappointing campaign.

After getting married on the weekend Sam Langford also won't play.

Hall isn't a complete strange to football in Forbes.

He spent a season with the Magpies during his playing days and coached alongside Cameron Greenhalgh.

With that in mind believes he knows what to expect from his rivals.

"They are a good side and a good club," Hall said.

"I went and had a season with Forbes, am good mates with a lot of those blokes and coached with Cameron with the Country side and had a couple of trips away together.

"He's a good guy, quiet and understated and his guys will represent him, be calm, prepared and capable."

Hall is also hopeful of having some new faces join the club after West Wyalong.

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