ORANGE CYMS has come from behind to clinch the club's first Group 10 first division title since 1997, defeating Bathurst St Pat's 18-10 at Cowra's Sid Kallas Oval.
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Down 10-0 after 18 minutes as St Pat's launched a stunning title bid on Sunday, the green and golds' hit back through tries to prop Cam Jones, Luke Morris and then Epa Navale to snap an 18-year premiership drought for CYMS in reserve grade.
Victorious player-coach Luke Morris was thrilled for his side, including a host of club toilers who've previously lost two - 2011 and 2012 - of the last three first division grand finals.
"We knew that coming into it," Morris said of the club's first division hoodoo.
"We've been in a few grand finals coming into it and been beaten.
"We knew this year was our year, we had the players to do it and it was just great to get over the line. It's awesome."
VIDEO: What Luke Morris and Julian Stambe had to say:
He labelled injured prop Kiel Vardanega as one of the club's most deserving, with Vardanega taking the field in the final seconds to notch up his first premiership win with CYMS.
"I love Baz, he's a good fella," Morris said.
"That's what makes me even happier, the blokes that have been around and haven't had one.
"I've been playing since I was four and never won a grand final. To do it, it doesn't matter what grade, to do it it's unbelievable.
"I wanted to get (Vardanega) on, I knew he couldn't have a hit up or have a tackle so, when I looked there with a couple of seconds to go and he was next to me, that was the highlight of my day."
VIDEO: Orange CYMS' victory song:
St Pat's set the early pace in very warm conditions for football in Cowra, with a cracking 40-20 kick from blue and whites five-eighth Dylan Battersby the catalyst for Chris Boardman's opening try of the first division decider.
Battersby then did it all himself at the 18-minute mark, and his successful conversion gave St Pat's a 10-point buffer.
Not deterred, however, CYMS lifted and when Jones barged his way over for a determined try just after 20 minutes to edge six points back, Tom Stonestreet then made the difference just two when he nailed a relatively difficult penalty attempt from 20 metres out, five metres in from the eastern touch line.
A dour second half, CYMS hit the lead for the first time with 30 minutes remaining when Luke Morris re-gathered his own grubber kick to score.
Then with nine minutes to go Epa Navale edged CYMS' advantage out to a converted try when he was the beneficiary of a marvellous long ball from veteran half Warick Colley.
Another successful penalty attempt with three minutes remaining, this time off the boot of Mitch Brown, sealed CYMS the club's drought-breaking victory.
"We were the two best sides the whole year, so it was great for us to meet in the grand final and have another close one," Morris added after the 18-10 victory.
"We got over the line, that's the main thing."
St Pat's captain-coach Julian Stambe believes "changes at critical points" didn't help the Saints.
"I was struggling big time, the chassis didn't move around too well but the boys did well," he said.
"We've got a young bunch of blokes who are all going to be first graders in the future and that's what reserve grade is all about, developing them and making sure they know what it's like to lose, so when they're in first grade they'll know what it's like to win."
ORANGE CYMS 18 (Cam Jones, Luke Morris, Epa Navale tries; Tom Stonestreet 2, Mitch Brown goal) def BATHURST ST PAT'S 10 (Dylan Battersby, Chris Boardman tries; Battersby goal).
