The event, which has been a tradition since the 1970s, will feature eight men's teams and six women's teams competing in a series of matches at Port Macquarie Regional Stadium from Sunday, March 24 to March 28.

NSW Police Rugby League vice president Rodney Sheraton said the carnival promises to be a highly competitive event, with a range of teams boasting players with NSWRL or QRL experience.

"We have people from all over the state coming to play in this competition," he said. "We have some really good quality players that are playing in the tournament. There's a really wide mix of playing talent."

Sheraton said the standard of plays is usually quite high with a lot of the teams boasting players with NSWRL of QRL experience.

He said the carnival was important, not just as a competition but also as a platform for selecting representative teams.

"From the carnival, we pick our City and Country representative teams who then go and play in a City v Country game in Sydney in May," he said.

Sheraton said the women's competition, now in its third year, has added excitement and talent to the carnival.

"They have been an excellent addition," he said. "They have added a lot of atmosphere and excitement to the carnival."

The defending champions, Eastern Suburbs in the men's division and Bankstown Giants in the women's division, are expected to face tough competition.

While Sheraton noted that both teams "will be pretty hard to beat", he said the Country North Cowboys and Cowgirls will be strong contenders for both titles this year.

The Cowgirls, who have been very competitive the last few years, have added quality players to their side. NSW front rower Kasey Gardiner will again lead from the front, and they will welcome back star player Katerina Hinton who missed last year.

They have also picked up NSW Captain Gabrielle Suckling and NSW centre Jessica Brooks, adding to their formidable lineup. Coached by Ben Anderson, the Cowgirls are poised for a strong showing this year.

While the Country North Cowboys have struggled in the past few years, they have been bolstered with some big recruits in 2024.

NSW representative utility Sam Press joins from the Manly club, while Reece Chappell, another NSW representative, is expected to bring the direction they need as a 5/8.

With the return of NSW representative centre Connor Storck and the addition of young Jesse Andrews, the Cowboys are looking to make a mark in this year's carnival.

Sheraton encouraged the community to attend the carnival and support the teams.

"There's plenty to play for," he said.

"It's a great opportunity to come along, catch some of the action, and enjoy the atmosphere."