Merewether brace for new test at Australian Boardriders Battle

The national decider, which was held at Newcastle Beach the past seven years, will be a tag team competition from start to finish this year, featuring six clubs in each heat rather than four.

Previously, men's, women's, juniors and masters heats were held on the Saturday to determine club seedings into the deciding tag team rounds on Sunday.

However, this year clubs are not guaranteed a spot in Sunday's action. The top three and three highest-scoring fourth-placed clubs from the seven first-round heats progress to round two on Sunday, cutting the field from 42 to 24. The top three in each round two heat go into two semi-finals to decide the six-team finale.

Merewether, who won in 2019, will be without ex-Championship Tour surfers Jackson Baker (foot injury) and Morgan Cibilic (wedding). Mikey Clayton-Brown and Hiatt will be their men's open surfers. Ocean Lancaster (junior), Bourke (women's) and Paul Snow (masters) are also in the team to face North Shore, Jones Beach, Kawana, Point Lookout and Avoca.

Team manager Tim Ryan said Hiatt and Bourke were picked partly "because they are goofy-footers and backhand is going to be a bit of an advantage we think."

Merewether's heat is the last in round one.

"We're lucky because we are in the last heat, so we get to watch the whole thing and see what mistakes are made," Ryan said.