October 1: Country Calling: After a stellar 2013 season in which he was awarded CYMS and Group 10 Player of the Year honours, Ben McAlpine is named in the NSW Country firsts team to tour South Africa.

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October 1: Moore for me: For her long term service with City of Orange Touch Association, Mandy Moore is rewarded with a nomination for NSW Touch Association Rod Wise Medal, awarded to an affiliate member who has been involved in the acts of coaching, administration and refereeing.

October 3: Back in top flight: Kinross agrees to return to the Orange District Cricket Association first grade competition, for at least five weeks. The format of the competition is changed to include a new, five round one-day tournament at the beginning of the season. The school indicates it will return to second grade at the conclusion of the new competition.

October 4: Gelding delivers thriller: Bay gelding Landuncan storms home to win the $15 000 Newport Recruitment Benchmark 65 Handicap (1400 metres) in a photo finish.

October 4: McCalman on big stage: Cumnock's Jack McCalman is named captain of the Australian Schoolboys team, to take on New Zealand in a trans-tasman grudge match.

October 7: Running backs: Ricky Stuart compares Jack Wighton to Laurie Daley as he announces he will work as hard as he can to secure the Orange-born, NSW Country centre.

October 8: Put a ring on it: Orange pair Dan Mortimer and James Maloney team up and win the NRL premiership with the Sydney Roosters, 26-18 over Manly, which Mortimer describes as 'the best day of his life'.

October 8: Double up: Dave Watson and Chloe Barrett return to Orange as undefeated national champions as part of the NSW over 45 second division team, and the NSW under 15s team respectively.

October 9: 'Macca' re-signs: CYMS holds on to Group 10, Western Rams and NSW Country firsts representative Ben McAlpine, who resigns with the green and golds for two more seasons despite huge interest from other areas.

October 9: Another feather in Marjoram's cap: Darryn Marjoram earns his sixth national cap as he is selected for the Australia Masters side to tour the Netherlands in 2014.

October 10: Kinross commitment: Amid huge amount of speculation, two days out from the season opener Kinross commits to playing the entire season in first grade, including two-day cricket after Christmas.

October 10: Churchland's call-up: Former CYMS all-rounder Kira Churchland makes her debut for the ACT Meteors in the Women's National Cricket League against the Western Australia Fury.

October 14: Record stand: Cavaliers opening batsmen Richie Venner and James Ryan put on a whopping, unbeaten first wicket stand of 362 in Waratahs' ODCA first grade comeback game. Venner finishes 222 not out, and Ryan manages 128 not out. Waratahs star Dubbo signing Rippan Shulka is unable to stem the run flow in his debut game. Kinross also wins, justifying the decision to play in the top grade while CYMS nab a victory over City in a 2012-13 grand final rematch.

October 16: CYMS join with Randy Petes again: CYMS continues its strong relationship with Randwick-Petersham Cricket Club, sending three players - Hamish and Will Cranney, and Matt Van Schaik - to train with the Sydney club's Green Shield (under 16s) team.

October 17: Marabe on world stage: CYMS forward Larsen Marabe touches down in England to represent Papua New Guinea at the Rugby League World Cup. Marabe is part of a 23-man squad.

October 18: The men with the golden guns: Brett Wilson and Geoff Knight, along with thirteen other teammates, bring home nine medals, including two gold, from the World Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest Federation World Cup.

October 19: Samoa, Rams won't lock horns: After 13 Orange players were named in three different Western Rams teams to take on NSW Samoa, the Blue Mountains bushfires lead to the postponing of all games.

October 21: A horror start: Orange's open representative team begins its Western Zone Premier League campaign in the worst possible fashion, dropping 12 catches on the way to a 199-run loss to zone heavyweights Parkes.

October 21: McAlpine fires for Country: CYMS Ben McAlpine scores a hat-trick of tries, in the space of eight minutes, for NSW Country firsts in a 58-18 demolishing of the South Africa Rhinos.

October 22: Generation gap: Mitchell Cricket Council names its youngest side in recent memory for the inter-council games against Lachlan and Macquarie Valley, including five Orange and Orange City players; Lincoln Duncan, Matt Findlay, Ed Morrish, James Conn and Jackson Coote.

October 23: Bears big on Cooper: The Blayney Bears announces its first big bunch of signing for season 2014; Hawks prop Terawhiti Cooper (captain-coach), CYMS winger Kurt Beahan and Cowra centre Josh Rainbow.

October 25: Stuff of legends: Emus pair Graydon Staniforth and Andrew Logan are selected in the Australian Legends team, to play the England Legends in London to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of England winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

October 28: Wicket effort: Mitchell Cricket Council is bowled for just 97 against Lachlan, in an embarrassing 88-run loss.

October 29: Call of the Country: After helping Western Zone to third place in the under 17s NSW Country Championships, Kinross batsman Charlie Litchfield is named in the Country team to take on its City counterparts in November.

October 31: Medal haul: Jets Swim Club's Will Baker hauls in five gold medals at the NSW Multi Class Championships in Sydney. Baker also breaks two national records and one national qualifying time in a huge meet.

THEY SAID IT:

"It has been such a surreal year. Then to look at that ring on my hand and it's real and I'm thinking 'how did that get there?'" - Dan Mortimer on winning the 2013 NRL premiership with the Sydney Roosters.