It looms as Orange CYMS' most important clash with Workies since the 2015 Group 10 premier league grand final and in a huge blow the green and golds will make the trip to Lithgow's Tony Luchetti Sportsground on Saturday without Chris Grevsmuhl.
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The former NRL star and Queensland State of Origin hopeful hasn't been named for the all-important round 13 grudge match, which looms as a pivotal one in terms of this year's race to fourth and fifth.
Bathurst Panthers, Orange Hawks and Mudgee look to have the top three spots all but sewn up, barring disaster, while CYMS, Workies, Cowra, Oberon and Bathurst St Pat's remain in a fierce battle for the last two finals spots.
CYMS went down to Panthers last weekend and dropped to fifth as a result, they're just two points shy of Workies in fourth though, the Lithgow outfit have rocketed back into contention on the back of a month-long winning streak kick-started the week after their own loss to the Bathurst side.
Aidan Baker comes into CYMS' back-row to replace Grevsmuhl while winger Jacob Sutherland has also been ruled out, with Tyrell Charters coming onto the wing.
Meanwhile on Sunday, their side have to get past Oberon on Sunday afternoon as well but plenty of Orange Hawks' supporters' eyes will be firmly fixed on Mudgee's clash with Bathurst Panthers as well.
The two blues remain in a share for the competition lead with Panthers heading into this weekend's 13th round and while the men in black have been equally as rampant as Hawks, third-placed Mudgee look the most likely to knock the Bathurst side off.
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Helping Hawks is the fact that clash is at Mudgee's Glen Willow Sporting Complex too, although they face a big challenge of their own in the embattled Tigers.
Injury and suspension woes have hit Oberon hard in recent weeks and they've dropped to seventh as a result but they remain just two points adrift of fifth-placed CYMS, and are still well and truly in the finals frame.
CYMS face Workies from 2pm on Saturday afternoon while Hawks host Oberon from 2.30pm on Sunday.
- ORANGE CYMS: 1 Lachie Munro, 2 Trav Adelehorf, 3 Dom Maley, 4 Ben McAlpine, 5 Tyrell Charters, 6 Steve Morris, 7 Luke Petrie, 8 Cam Jones, 9 Ryan Griffin, 10 Joe Duffy, 11 Aiden Baker, 12 Ethan Bereyne, 13 Tom Mortimer; Bench: 14 Tyrone Harrison, 15 Robbie Mortimer.
- ORANGE HAWKS: 1 Duncan Young, 2 Eman Rodrigeuz, 3 Lawrence Fogg, 4 Jack Aumuller, 5 Jordan Baker, 6 Willie Heta, 7 Matt Boss, 8 Ethan McKellar, 9 Alex Prout, 10 Sam Coyte, 11 Rakai Tuheke, 12 Talon Hodge, 13 Nathan Potts; Bench: 14 Jared Brodrick, 15 Matt Foliaki, 16 Dean Veta.
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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.
