As the tried and true saying goes, anything can happen in the finals.
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Orange CYMS proved as much by taking down then-undefeated minor premiers Hawks in the Group 10 under-18 league tag major semi-final, to remarkably earn a grand final appearance in their first year in the competition.
Hawks regained their mojo in last weekend's preliminary final by hammering Mudgee 46-4 though and with that in mind Gibson admitted it'll take another monstrous effort from his first-year to side to hoist the trophy after Sunday's local derby decider.
Anything can happen in these games so I think a massive thing for us is ball control and completing our sets.
- Orange CYMS coach Adam Gibson
"They're a good side, Hawks, and they've been the benchmark all season so it's going to be another tough game but all the girls are really excited for it," Gibson said.
"It's their first year in the competition and they've done a really good job, anything can happen in these games so I think a massive thing for us is ball control and completing our sets."
The CYMS side is brimming with talent though, with four Western Rams under-16 representatives in Ella Barrett, Maddie Thornhill, India Krause and Sophie Banks, although the latter is sidelined with a season-ending knee injury.
Gibson said those representative players will naturally play a big role come Sunday, and pointed to the likes of fullback Em Williams and skipper Keely Prevett as linchpins as well.
Williams, the side's leading try-scorer outside Banks, will be backing up from Saturday's Orange Netball Association Toyota Cup grand final too, and has the chance to claim a rare double on the weekend.
"Em's been really good at the back, she's a bit of a strike player and was great in the open league tag side as well. Keely's been strong all year as well and will lead us around well again, I'm sure," Gibson said.
Although that major semi-final win, which came after CYMS knocked off Mudgee 32-4, was the green and golds' only victory over Hawks this season, little separated the two sides during the regular rounds.
The two blues claimed a narrow, 18-14 victory in round nine and then scored a 20-12 win in the final round in late August, and as a result all signs point to another epic come Sunday morning.
Kick-off at Bathurst's Carrington Park is at 9am.
- ORANGE CYMS: 1 Emily Williams, 2 Maddi Thornhill, 3 Marley Cardwell, 4 India Krause, 6 Keely Prevett, 7 Ella Barrett, 8 Olivia Collins, 9 Lucy Warner, 10 Lilly Freedman, 11 Dayna McKay, 12 Saige King, 13 Hope Gibson, 14 Georgia Gibson, 15 Victoria Brown, 16 Alana Tracey, 17 Chloe Jaques
- ORANGE HAWKS: 1 Jes Pearson, 2 Jasmine Griffiths, 3 Elli Tamatea, 4 Imogen Drinkwater, 5 Tori Wood, 6 Courtney Morgan, 7 Lilly Baker, 8 Milly Lenehan, 9 Erin Gates, 10 Caitlin Prestwidge, 11 Josie Clarke, 12 Savannah Moore, 13 Emily Irwin, 15 Taylor Milan, 17 Rebecca Prestwidge
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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.
