The Redhead star will be among at least six Hunter athletes trying to secure a spot on the prestigious series through trials at the NSW Far North Coast venue.

The 24-year-old finished seventh in the series in 2016-17 on debut, only for the top six to be granted automatic qualification for the following season.

In September last year, Collins won the trials to make the 2019-20 series, where he finished 13^th.

This year, the top 10 from the previous summer earned positions on the circuit. Eleventh and 12^th are reserves but third in line will be the next best from the trials, rather than Collins.

Therefore Collins will again have to rely on his results in the trials to get back in the series.

Three races on Saturday will determine the 20 men and 20 women who progress to Sunday's three-race deciders.

The top eight men and women join the 10 qualifiers and three wildcards in each series.

"That's how the cookie crumbles," Collins said of narrowly missing automatic qualification again.

"And if you're good enough the trials are a good spot to prove yourself anyway.

"It's the same format as last year's trial, it's just a little bit later in the year.

"There was plenty of uncertainty with COVID so it's just exciting that they've got an event together."

Like many, Collins has had a limited competitive preparation because of COVID-19 restrictions.

He has had just the one competitive hit-out, a round of the NSW Super Team Series at Swansea-Belmont in October, where he was sixth in the ironman and third in the surf race.

Collins was heading north without high expectations.

"I think everyone is in the same boat post-COVID," he said.

"Obviously that was winter, but that's when we do our pre-season and get back into training, so it's definitely been a different prep.

"I probably haven't done as much work as I would have liked to have done going into the trial, but at the end of the day, you put your foot on the line, put your best foot forward and see how the results pan out.

"Our sport is pretty cruel with the way the surf can go for you or against you.

"I've been doing enough to want to go up there and throw my hat in the ring but I've got no expectations on myself.

"I think COVID was a good reality check for a lot of people that there's a lot of things in life that can bring you happiness outside of what you've been doing so we'll see what happens.

"I'll just take it as it comes."

Also heading to the trials are Redhead clubmates Isak Costello and Justin McMorland.

Costello was a wildcard into the 2017 national series final, which came after rounds of ironman competition held as part of the Summer Of Surf circuit.

Joining the more experienced Redhead trio will be three teenage rookies from Swansea Belmont.

Saxon Coates and Kye Taylor will chase spots in the ironman series for the first time, while Bella Williams will do likewise in the ironwoman competition.

Coach Ryan Cook said the under-19 competitors had set the goal of making Sunday's finals and they had all been training well.

Clubmates Nick Stoddart and Hayden Copping were also set to compete in the trials but they withdrew this week. Stoddart pulled out on Thursday because of illness, while Copping succumbed to a back injury last weekend.

Redhead's Nicola Owen competed in the ironwoman series when it was part of the Ocean6 rounds in 2017-18 but she is sidelined with a shoulder injury.

This summer's national series takes in two rounds each at Kingscliff (December 19-20), North Cronulla (January 16-17) and Broadbeach (February 13-14).