Grand final time is here.
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There's been plenty to like about the 2023 western-wide competition and this Sunday at Dubbo's Apex Oval four champions will be crowned.
If you need reminding, here's the grand final day lineup:
- LEAGUE TAG: Bathurst St Pat's v Macquarie Raidettes
- RESERVE GRADE: Dubbo CYMS v Cowra Magpies
- UNDER 18s: ORANGE HAWKS v LITHGOW WORKIES WOLVES
- FIRST GRADE: Dubbo CYMS v Mudgee Dragons
It promises to be a huge day of action, but who's going to take home the titles? Your reporters from around the region have had their say here and you can let us know your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the article.
League Tag
Dominic Unwin: Champion teams rarely get tripped up once, let alone twice.
Saints will be smarting from their shock week one finals loss to their opponents on Sunday and will surely be desperate to atone.
Hard to see the Raidettes taking home the trophy but playing in front of a home crowd cannot be dismissed.
Tom Barber: Call me biased here but I'm all in on the Macquarie Raidettes.
Bathurst St Pat's might have the advantage when it comes to big game experience but with Kaitlyn Mason at the helm of Macquarie, I think they can clinch the title.
Coming off the back of wins against Dubbo CYMS and St Pat's, Macquarie are primed for a massive match on grand final day.
Nick Guthrie: It's easy to say I'm just choosing the Raidettes because I'm based at Dubbo, but there really is a lot to like about them.
The core of this team has been together for years and they have developed not only their skills, but also their tactics. St Pat's are a fantastic side but the Raidettes are going in prepared and while many would call it in an upset, that's not the feeling in their camp.
Alexander Grant: I admire the faith in the Raidettes shared by my Dubbo cohort, but St Pat's won't be caught dead letting lightning strike twice.
The Raidettes' shock semi-final win over the Saints spurred the Bathurst squad into a much improved showing against Orange CYMS in the prelim final.
There's a reason this Pat's side have won four straight Group 10 titles. They know each other's game inside out, they're incredibly talented and they know how to respond in a big way.
Reserve Grade
Dominic Unwin: It's been said around grounds for the whole season - Cowra are too good for reserve grade.
The Magpies dropped two games all year and are piling on the points at the right time of the season.
If their attack gets going it could be a long afternoon for the Fishies.
Tom Barber: I've seen little of either these teams this season but I've got to go with Dubbo CYMS here.
The Fishies looked set for a close match against Mudgee on Sunday before blowing them away late to book a spot in the grand final.
Cowra may boast arguably the strongest side in the competition but CYMS have strike weapons across the park.
Nick Guthrie: From struggling for numbers in pre-season to premiership winners. I'm going in on Cowra. Plus any side that scores 44 points in a preliminary final is one to watch.
Both of these sides have players more than capable of playing first grade so it should be high quality for a reggies match, but the Magpies will get it done.
Alexander Grant: I had the opportunity to watch a fired up Blayney Bears defence dismantle a quality St Pat's reserve grade side in the semi-finals at Wade Park.
You're telling me this Cowra side then put eight tries past that Bears side in the preliminary final?
I'm sorry, I know there's quality throughout that Fishies lineup, but I'm all in on the Magpies after this finals run. They've got all the momentum and they'll be determined to deliver the club glory after some serious challenges personnel-wise.
Tom Nelson Premiership
Dominic Unwin: Surely one of the most talented under 18 cohorts to come through Group 10.
Hawks deserve the favourites tag simply because they haven't lost all season but Workies ran them close, drawing 18-all and losing 20-14 in their two encounters this year.
This will go down to the wire but I have Orange coming out on top with Harry Wald to find another level on the biggest stage.
Tom Barber: As much as I liked the look of Lithgow on the weekend, it's hard to go past Orange Hawks here.
But with that being said, I will in fact tip Lithgow to win the competition.
Their spine was sensational on Saturday against Mudgee and I think they can go to another level against Hawks.
There is no doubt the Workies Wolves will have a strong support base at Apex Oval and I think it will be them that gets over the line.
Nick Guthrie: This could be the game of the day. A lot of people in the Dubbo crowd would have preferred to watch a Group 11 side play, but these two teams are pretty special and littered with individual talent.
I'll tip Hawks to complete an unbeaten season and claim the silverware, but Lithgow will really push them and the halfback-fullback combination of Eli Morris and Tallan Egan is one to watch.
Alexander Grant: For me, this is the most thrilling game of the day. It's so difficult to pick a winner from these two very promising Group 10 squads.
While I'm tempted to flip a coin to determine what I write here, I'll back the Hawks to complete the perfect season and become the first squad to win a Western title without dropping a game.
Any other year this Workies team probably waltzes to a title - they've just happened to run into another attacking powerhouse.
Peter McDonald Premiership
Dominic Unwin: Mudgee make the trip to Apex with zero expectation on them.
As everyone knows, Dubbo CYMS is desperate to win a grand final and they have been building all season for this one day.
Sounds like a lot of pressure to me, maybe too much.
Mudgee boast the strike power required and if they can take the lead the ball will be in CYMS' court.
People may scoff but I reckon it's the year of the Dragon.
Tom Barber: This could be the best match we've seen this season between two sides who are stacked with talented players.
Neither side is notorious for starting fast but for a 20-minute period against Parkes, Dubbo CYMS looked as good as they have all year.
The Fishies look hungry to avenge their grand final loss from last season and I think they get the job done against Mudgee in a close one.
Nick Guthrie: Everything Dubbo CYMS has done this season has been building to this. Every team selection, each tactical tweak. It's all been geared towards producing a peak performance in a grand final.
There's a lot to like about Mudgee - Jack Littlejohn could be the best player on the field on Sunday - and CYMS has a poor record in grand finals (winning just four of nine they've played in since 2011) but this feels like the Fishies' year.
And as good as they've been, I still don't think they've produced a complete performance in 2023. If they do it on Sunday, watch out.
Alexander Grant: It's got to be the Fishies' time... right?
Their grand final record of late leaves a lot to be desired but this squad will be fired up to right the wrongs from last year's decider against Forbes.
There was a lot to like about the way both teams qualified for the big game - with CYMS producing some of the most clinical offence they've shown this season against the Spacemen while the Dragons stepped up their game in a resilient second half performance against Hawks - but it feels like Dubbo's time to shine.
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