There may be three rounds left after this weekend, but there’s every chance Orange CYMS could all but wrap up the Group 10 premier league minor title with a win over Mudgee on Sunday.
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It does rely on a lot of ‘what ifs’, but CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan confirmed that is what’s on his mind.
The green and golds are already two points in front of second-placed Bathurst Panthers, but their points difference advantage of 56 essentially makes that a two win buffer.
If CYMS win on Sunday they’ll extend that points difference advantage even further as Panthers have the bye.
“It’d rely on us beating Oberon next week too, but then we play Lithgow and Blayney in the last two rounds where Panthers have to play Oberon and Mudgee,” Sullivan said.
“But if can beat Mudgee, with that buffer we’d be able to afford to drop a game anyway. We’re confident we won’t, so we’ll pretty much have one hand on it if we can get a win on Sunday.”
Not that Sullivan’s underestimating the Dragons.
He, and his troops, know exactly how dangerous Mudgee can be after last year’s grand final, in which the Dragons upset the highly-fancied CYMS unit.
Pair that with the fact the Dragons are, clearly, building to something.
Just like last season.
Mudgee came from fifth to win last year’s title and while the side has fared better than that during the regular season so far, the Dragons have done so without a number of stars.
They’re sitting third, haven’t been beaten in almost two months – coincidentally that loss was to Panthers – and are getting players back every week.
“Mudgee are a dangerous side,” Sullivan said.
“We want this one, especially being a grand final rematch from last year but with that minor premiership in mind too.
“Mudgee’s game has always been through the middle third. (Hooker) Benny Thompson darts around there and they’ve got some big boys in their pack.
“I’m not sure how fluent they really are with tip-ons and such through their forwards but they are a pretty good second phase side, going out the back.
“If Corin Smith is playing he’ll be a danger so we’ll have to work hard to shut that down.”
CYMS will be without Group 10 player of the year favourite Chris Bamford and barnstorming winger Tom Satterthwaite, both have succumbed to injury.
Premiership-winning three-quarter Jerome Harrison comes onto the wing for the latter, while young gun Joe Duffy has shifted into the front row to replace Bamford.
Rob Mortimer slides back into the back-row.
“We’ve got options, there’s good players coming back in there,” Sullivan said.
“Joe’s played 80 minutes for us in the back row and has just been outstanding, so he’ll be fine moving back up front.”
Kick-off at Wade Park is 2.30pm.
- ORANGE CYMS: 1 Ben McAlpine, 2 Semisi Katoa, 3 Bronx Goodwin, 4 Joe Lasagavibau, 5 Jerome Harrison, 6 Dom Maley, 7 Mick Sullivan ©, 8 Joe Duffy, 9 Ryan Griffin, 10 Cam Jones, 11 Brenden Cousins, 12 Rob Mortimer, 13 Tim Mortimer; Bench: 14 Luke Petrie, 15 Paradise Mann, 16 Lachie Munro
Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
