The top-of-the-table Orange Vipers continued its rampant start to the 2020 Western Women's Rugby League title race on Saturday, lapping Mid-west 52-4 at Pride Park.
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And centre Demi Chapman says they did it with one eye on next week.
The Vipers travel to Dubbo next Saturday for a mouth-watering grand final rematch with the also undefeated Wiradjuri Goannas.
The match is the first in a bumper two-week period for the defending premiers, with the vastly improved Woodbridge Cup - currently two-from-three to open 2020 - looming in the final round.
Chapman says her side's attack is humming, and that continued in round three despite the wet weather on Saturday for their clash with the Brumbies.
Fullback Heidi Regan again starred, scoring a bagful of tries to go along with the five she scored against Castlereagh at the same venue last week.
The Vipers average 52 points per game so far in 2020.
But against the likes of the Goannas, and even the up-and-coming Woodbridge girls, defence will be key for the high-flying Vipers.
It's come so far. The skill of all the players, and the amount of girls that are now playing the game, it's awesome.
- Demi Chapman on the 2020 WWRL
"It's going to be a challenge," Chapman said, looking ahead to next week's clash with Goannas.
"We've shown patches of good football so far this year, and it was a bit patchy again today.
"We've worked hard on our attack, though, now we'll have to work hard in defence as well."
The Goannas took care of business against Woodbridge at Forbes on Saturday, securing a 20-8 result to remain in second on the ladder heading into next week's clash.
That tough match-up in the lead-up to the Vipers game will be an advantage for the Group 11-based outfit, Chapman says.
"They'll run hard. It'll be tough," she added, Vipers winning 36-10, 68-10 and 52-4 in their three games so far.
"It's been nice to have those big wins to work on a few things, but the tougher games will do us the world of good. I'm keen to play that tough football."
The Vipers led 8-0 at the end of the first quarter and then 20-0 by half-time. The hosts then rammed home their advantage in the third term.
They led by 40 points before the Brumbies managed to breach the Vipers' defensive line, but late tries to Regan and then hooker Em McDonald capped another runaway victory for the black and teals.
Regan's long-distance efforts proved a highlight throughout the match, the speedy Western fullback a threat from virtually anywhere on the field.
"Heidi is always a stand-out, but our halves have been awesome as well," Chapman said, adding the level of the WWRL has gone up a peg again in 2020.
"It's come so far. The skill of all the players, and the amount of girls that are now playing the game, it's awesome."
In the lower grades on Saturday, Vipers' under 18s enjoyed another good win, this time 50-4 over Mid-west, while the hosts took out the under 16s as well, 26-8.
Proving the future is bright in the Mid-west, the Brumbies won the under 14s 6-4 in a nail-biter against the Vipers.
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