Lithgow Workies first division side will be chasing premiership glory when they face Bathurst St Pat’s in the Group 10 grand final at Wade Park in Orange on Sunday.
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Workies head into the decider on the back of a week off however they are coming up against a St Pat’s side looking to continue their fairytale finals run.
St Pat’s were fifth at the end of the regular season but claimed the major scalps of Orange CYMS and minor premiers Bathurst Panthers in their path to the decider. Now the blue and whites will believe they can beat anyone.
“They’re a force to be reckoned with,” Workies first division coach Joe Inzitari said.
The Bathurst side is full of experienced heads with the likes of former Penrith Panther Mark Booth and veteran Chris Osborne.
But what Workies lack in experience, they make up for in youthful exuberance.
“Hopefully we can outmuscle them... we’ve got the players to do that,” Inzitari said.
Players like Sam Rushworth and bash brothers Riley and Darcy Allan. All three have popped up in premier league during the season but will be playing their heart out for their reserve grade team mates on Sunday.
“I’m confident of the boys but I’m not going to be your person that’s going to spruik and say ‘yeah we’re going to beat them’.”
The Workies coach had nothing but praise for his side who have worked on a formula of basic football and playing for your mate.
“They’re an excellent bunch of guys. We’ve created a comradeship between us as a team, we’ve bonded as mates so everything has gelled real good as a team.
“When you have a team that gels with each other, that work for each other, when they work for each other they’ll succeed and when they succeed we win games.”
- LITHGOW WORKIES: 1 Nick Miller, 2 Pauli Kunawave, 3 Liam Walsh, 4 Greg Alderson, 5 Michael Rennie, 6 Josh Jones, 7 Eli Fenton, 8 Darcy Allan, 9 Conner Legge, 10 Sam Rushworth, 11 Riley Allan, 12 Jack Kable, 13 Andrew Bain; Bench: 14 Byron Wilson, 15 Steve Hughes, 16 Peceli Vayavanku, 17 Trevor Wilson, 18 Steve McMurtrie.
- BATHURST ST PAT’S: 1 Kurt Norton, 2 Bobby Forrest, 3 Jack Grant, 4 Bailey Waldron, 5 Bryton Thackery, 6 Chris Osborne, 7 Shannon Peters, 8 Rhys Frame, 9 Jared Colling, 10 Mick Godfrey, 11 Harrison Jones, 12 Nick Millar, 13 Jack Mackey, 14 Jack Finn, 15 Pat Boatswain, 16 Fale Liva, 17 Mark ‘Chicka’ Booth, 18 Brodie Samuel, 19 Caleb Wardman, 20 Mackenzie Jones, 21 Pauly Lasalo.