If you trawl through the archives and analyse every successful side over the years you'll find a similar make-up throughout - a couple of attention-laden superstars surrounded by a stellar supporting cast that tends to fly under the radar without the spotlight on them.
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With that in mind, meet Orange Emus hooker Alex Walker.
With the likes of Em McDonald, Nikki D'Aquino and Jacky Lyden dominating the headlines this season, Walker's flown under that radar massively, but she's been just as influential as any of the greens' higher-profile players.
While McDonald's last-ditch, match-winning penalty goal was the focal point of the greens' 13-12 preliminary final win over CSU Bathurst Walker was arguably the best on ground, turning out a huge performance with and without the ball.
It's not often someone would be able to win and then hold up a trophy that's named after them so we absolutely want to try and help Amanda do that.
- Emus hooker Alex Walker
Aside from her bullocking carries and bruising defensive effort Walker's work at the breakdown was particularly tenacious, the 28-year-old picking up three turnovers and winning two penalties for her side as well.
She was equally as good in their qualifying final win over Temora a fortnight earlier too, in fact watching her on the field, you'd never guess she's only been playing for 12 months.
"I definitely wouldn't say [best on ground]. I thought I played okay but everyone did such a good job to grind that one out," Walker said of last weekend's win over the students.
"I played a couple of games last year but I broke my rib, so this is my first full season. Honestly I only started playing because my sister Kate was and it just looked such a great time and an awesome team sport, one I hadn't tackled before which was a fun challenge.
"I've played [football] and tennis my whole life but I always felt like I wanted something a bit more physical, you know, and rugby was it. I just love it too, this is the best sport ever.
"We've got such a cool team too, everyone supports each other and we're all great mates but I think the best part is we all have fun. The focus is definitely on enjoying ourselves and while we absolutely still want to win every game we play, the result doesn't really matter as long as we're enjoying it."
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Walker's still coming to terms with the fact she and her side are now just one win away from a premiership, although winning that is easier said than done considering they face defending premiers Bulldogs in the decider, at Bathurst's Anne Ashwood Park.
She said her side has reason for confidence though, they won the minor title and they're battle-hardened after two gritty, semi-final arm wrestles.
"I think we should definitely be confident, Bathurst will be too obviously and it should be a great game. We obviously got beaten in the finals last year so to be able to get to this grand final is so great, all the girls are stoked, but to be able to bring home Amanda's cup would taste pretty sweet," Walker said.
She's speaking of Emus stalwart Amanda Ferguson there, the competition's namesake.
"That's definitely motivation, it's not often someone would be able to win and then hold up a trophy that's named after them so we absolutely want to try and help Amanda do that," Walker said.
"She's done so much for this club, women's rugby and all of us newer players so it'd mean a lot to us, I know it'd mean a lot to her too.
"Ferg hasn't been here the last few weeks being off managing the Wallaroos but she'll be back for the grand final so that was in the back of our heads I think, and we've all worked so hard for it this year, it's just one more job to do now."
The Westfund Ferguson Cup decider will kick-off at 9.30am on Saturday at Ashwood Park.
- ORANGE EMUS: 1. Mackinley Gulliver, 2 Alex Walker, 3. Danni Veilkoso, 3 Abmber Ohlsen, 5 Karina Kiley, 6 Jacky Lyden, 7 Davina Wright, 8 Nikita Campbell, 9 Em McDonald, 10 Nikki D'Aquino, 11 Tara Reay 12 Tabua Tuinakauvadra, 13 Milika Tuinakauvadra, 14 Tanya Miller, 15 Stacey Britt
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