Midas touch: Thunder in line for Touch NSW awards as club, individuals nominated

The club is in line for some serious gongs at the NSW Touch Football Awards which take place next weekend, and the two representatives have been picked in the state body's development sides, Lara Clarke as a player and Joel Begnell as a manager for the boys' side.

The club is in the box seat to claim the Hunter-Western Hornets Affiliates of the Year after a blistering year on and off the paddock, being the largest sporting club in Orange, and with the club's representative side the Thunder having blitzed every tournament they've taken part in over the past 12 months.

Joanne Banks was nominated for Administrator of the Year, Michael Rudd for Referee Director of the Year and Begnell is in line for the Rod Wise Medal, which acknowledges volunteer of the year.

Banks is treasurer of the club and has spent several years making the operation as "cash-less" as possible, while Rudd has been overseeing the club's refereeing program, from rostering during local games to training new referees.

Begnall, who's the club's representative director and has been a massive part of the club's on-field success in recent years, said it was great to be nominated for the award, but the acknowledgement was a reflection on the club more than any individual.

"Its amazing for the club to receive these accolades, as it represents the improvements our club has shown, particularly in relation to our local competition numbers and junior rep touch," he said.

"Every involved in our club deserves praise for these award nominations, as everyone has played a part in our clubs continued success."

The club hosted one of the biggest touch football tournaments in the country this month when the Touch NSW Junior Regionals visited, and the club also cleaned up at the Don Green Western Junior Championships in Mudgee and NSW Touch Junior State Cup in Wagga Wagga - collecting trophies for on-field and off-field efforts.

The club was also picking up new players at a record pace over the past 12 months with over 2000 players, and the club had a record number of players picked in the regional Hunter-Western Hornets sides for the Junior Regionals.

They'll back up that effort in 2021, with the 2020 and 2022 games to be held in Tuggerah on the Central Coast, while Orange will also play host to the inaugural Western Schools Cup in November.

Nineteen Orange juniors made the cut in Hornets squads, the most selected in Hunter-Western representative outfits, and the club is also travelling to take part in the Vawdon Cup through the 2019-2020 season.

The awards will be handed out on August 3 at Bankstown Sports Club in Sydney.