TIME TO CELEBRATE: Orange Hawks players Lachlan Sturgeon (left) and James Wynne (right) celebrate a try during their recent win over Cowra. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0624hawkes2
ORANGE Hawks are hoping to end a three-year wait when they take on Orange CYMS in this weekend’s Group 10 derby.
When the two sides run onto Wade Park on Saturday, it will be almost three years to the day since Hawks won a Group 10 local derby.
On July 5, 2009, Hawks came back from an eight-point deficit with 20 minutes to go to win 20-18.
It was an important win for Hawks as it brought to an end a six-game losing streak.
Since then, CYMS have had the upper hand in their five Group 10 clashes.
Hawks lock Todd Barrow said his side is starting to find the form they have been searching for.
“We’re starting to play all right,” Barrow said.
“Those games we lost in close ones early on, it was just attitude. Everything has picked up in the last couple of weeks. I was out for four or five weeks and wasn’t at training much then. I’ve noticed, since I’ve been back, everyone has picked up their attitude.”
Both Orange sides are coming into Saturday’s derby with good form, having won their last two games.
CYMS thumped Bathurst Panthers 60-0 before disposing of Lithgow Workies 24-20.
Hawks turned in a strong performance to down Cowra 48-16 in round eight and then on Sunday accounted for Bathurst St Pat’s 36-28.
The wins were welcome for Hawks after losing their previous five matches.
Hawks didn’t celebrate a derby win 2010 or 2011.
During 2010, CYMS won a tight first encounter 24-20.
The next time they met CYMS were on track to win the Group 10 premiership and inflicted a 46-10 beating on Hawks.
Last year CYMS came out on 34-22 and 26-24.
Hawks and CYMS met in the season opener on April 28.
Half-back Claude Gordon was outstanding in scoring 15 points and setting up another three tries to help CYMS to a resounding 43-6 victory under lights.
Barrow said the Hawks players want to make up for that result.
“A lot of the boys were pretty embarrassed about that,” he said.
“We have a big crowd there and we were pretty disappointed with how we played and we want to make up for that.”
Barrow is confident Hawks are in good form but he knows beating two-time defending champions CYMS is tough for any side.
“If we can put two halves together, we’ll be tough to beat,” Barrow said.
“(CYMS are) a good side. We’re going to have to be good to beat them.”
The derby will be played at Wade Park on Saturday with under 18s kicking off at 12pm.