The Gunners have made a triumphant entrance into a new era with a 92-79 win over the Bankstown Bruins in the Waratah League season opener at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on Saturday.

A move into the NSW state league has forced Canberra's high performance men's program to take a step down from the now defunct SEABL - and they responded in the best way possible.

The Waratah League looms as the perfect platform for the Gunners to rebuild after the roster built largely on local talent claimed Canberra's first men's victory since July 8, 2017.

Meanwhile, the Canberra Nationals' return to the Waratah League got off to a rocky start in a 57-51 defeat at the hands of the Bruins.

Nationals star Keely Froling looks a class above following on from a stellar championship season with the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL, putting up an equal game-high 20 points to go with 19 rebounds.

But Froling took little comfort in her own performance, taking the chance to call out competition chiefs for using just two referees for women's games compared to three for men's, just one day after International Women's Day.

Both Canberra sides will look to back up their round one triumphs against the Central Coast Crusaders at Belconnen Basketball Stadium next Saturday.