The recent addition of Josh Larsen, James Cherrington, Thomas Dwyer, and Taniwha hooker Jordan Olsen's brother Brandon Olsen also add some good depth to the mix.
"We're shaping up pretty well," Edwards said.
"We're looking pretty good, [and] raring to go. I'm happy with the team we've got, I think we'll be near the top four at the end of the season."
Also coming through the pre-season relatively unscathed, Wellsford are sure to be another team to watch this season, however, the defending champions are not letting any pressure get to them this early in the piece.
"You don't go in looking to defend the title, you go in to win it," Wellsford co-coach Brad Te Haara said.
Emphasising the competition's new law trials will make things interesting, Te Haara said tomorrow's first-up match would be a clash of different styles.
"Our pre-season's gone well. We've had two pre-season games, one under the new rules [so] I think that's going to be a bit of a game changer.
"The new laws will be a leveller because players haven't had that much time to adjust toit.
"It will take a few rounds for teams to sort of subconsciously get them."
With Sean Sweetman out for the match (concussion) and new halfback Matt Talaese (wrist injury) also spending some time on the sideline, Te Haara said there was "no pressure as such, being the first game you have no wins or no losses yet".
"I think you always want to win the first game, but it's important to continue on with the work we've been doing in the pre-season."
The Southern Districts Premier, Southern Districts Premier Reserves, Bay of Islands and Mangonui premier competitions will all be trialling new Mitre 10 Cup laws this season.
Bayleys Southern Districts Premiers, Round 1:
- Wellsford v Mid Northern, at Centennial Park
- Hikurangi v Kamo, at Hikurangi 1
- Old Boys Marist v Waipu, at Old Boys 1
- Otamatea v Mid Western, at Kaiwaka 1
- Western Sharks v Hora Hora, at Farmlands Park 1.
All games start at 2.15pm.
