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A new-look NSW have made a strong fist of day one of their Sheffield Shield clash against South Australia with three of their young brigade making fifties.

NSW's youngsters have led the way as the winless Blues built a solid first-innings platform on day one of their Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.

A much-changed NSW side forced their way to 6-299 at stumps in the final-round fixture at Karen Rolton Oval.

The Blues ended the day in the ascendancy thanks to a century stand for the fifth wicket between Jack Edwards and Matthew Gilkes.

Edwards, 22, counter-attacked with a 75-ball 64 not out in a knock that included 10 boundaries and a six.

The 21-year-old Gilkes was more judicious, having come in at a shaky 4-144, compiling 60 off 120 balls before falling lbw to Wes Agar in the final minutes of the day, ending the partnership on 115.

Earlier, inexperienced opener Ryan Hackney, 23, made a career-best 78 in his fifth Shield outing.

The showing from NSW's youngsters partly overshadowed Nathan McAndrew's performance with the ball.

McAndrew returned 4-72 to be closing in on his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.

McAndrew knocked over debutant opener Blake MacDonald (21) and Jason Sangha (6) in the morning session, and followed up with the wicket of new skipper Moises Henriques (34) after the break.

Paceman Spencer Johnson picked up the other wicket, with Ollie Davies dismissed just before tea for 24.

Seeking to avoid a first-ever winless campaign in a 10-match season, NSW went into the contest having made numerous changes.

Captain Kurtis Patterson was the most high-profile axing for the match, while the Blues were also without injured opener Daniel Hughes, Sean Abbott (Australian ODI duties) and Trent Copeland (retired).