In terms of sporting competitions, the Western Women's Rugby League is still in its infancy.
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This marks just the third year the league has been running but already the rivalry between the Wiradjuri Goannas and Orange Vipers is developing into one of the region's best.
The two rivals were evenly-matched in Sunday's latest meeting, but the Vipers finished the better and nabbed a 20-16 win after trailing by 10 early in the second half.
The Vipers were also victorious when the two sides met in last year's grand final, but even before then the rivalry was building.
"It started about five years ago when it was Group 11 against Group 10," Goannas captain Amy Townsend said, looking back at the inaugural women's nines competition.
"The rivalry started then and there's a lot of girls from both teams who still play who played then.
"It's no so much Bathurst. We don't have that fire against them but Orange, Group 11 and Group 10 games included, we've played them for the past five years in a grand final.
Both teams are the benchmark so yes, there's a rivalry.
- Goannas skipper Amy Townsend on her side's clashes with Vipers.
That fire was obvious on Sunday at Apex Oval.
Even in the younger age groups there was plenty of chat on the field as well as number of sin-binnings.
That on-field talk didn't stop in the main game while there were a number of crunching hits for both teams.
But when it mattered it was the Vipers who took their chances, as the Goannas were made to pay for a poor second half which was loaded with errors and penalties.
Vipers captain Jacky Lyden was thrilled to steal the win late on but added her side wouldn't be resting on its laurels.
The Orange side never got going in the first half and was sloppy at times as the Goannas shut down key players Heidi Regan and Em McDonald.
And while they found there way in the second 30, Lyden said there's plenty of work needed with finals just two weeks away.
"It's nice to have the win but when we go back to training it's about the next job," she said.
"We've got to stay patient because we know they (Goannas) are strong and have got good strong forwards so it's back to the drawing board and concentrate on the next game, that's all we do."
The Vipers take on Woodbridge Cup next week.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
