Lithgow proved just that on Saturday in taking down a much biggest Bathurst Panthers outfit to win the Group 10 Junior Rugby League under 12s title at Wade Park.

The Storm scored first through half Tallan Egan before Panthers hit back immediately through Ronan Hunt-Cameron, the powerful lock running 50 metres untouched to score off the tap restart to lock the scores at 6-all.

But from that moment on it was essentially all Lithgow.

Two further converted first-half tries, the first to Eli Morris before Roman Peters crossed too, shot the Storm out to a 18-6 half-time lead.

It was then extended thanks to a great try to Peters, his second, in the final term to help seal back-to-back titles for the Lithgow side – the Storm winning the under 11s premiership in Mudgee last season too.

Coach Peter Morris praised the heart his side showed in defence.

On several occasions the bigger Panthers side threatened to score, but Lithgow’s ability to defuse the situation proved telling.

“We’ve worked really hard on our defence. We haven’t got a lot of size but we defended really well,” Morris said amid his side’s celebrations.

“We tried to work it half-and-half (throughout the year at training) – you’ve got to tackle as much as you run the ball.”

Lithgow five-eighth Tully Howell was deemed man of the match. His work alongside half Tallan Egan helping guide the Storm around the field.

“They’ve got some big boys, but we have some really good footy players and that also helps, if you’ve got the cattle. It was really pleasing,” Morris said.

Panthers coach Shane Hastings was full of credit for the eventual premiers.

“From the get-go, they pressured us and frustrated us and got on top of us from the start,” Hastings said.

“Pete’s boys were better today. We’ll come back stronger next year and try and do it again.”