Dragons delight as Mudgee wins 2024 Bathurst Panthers Knockout over St Pats

By Tallon Smith The Mudgee Dragons have continued from where they left off in 2023 after taking out the Bathurst Panthers Knockout at Carrington Park on Saturday. After breezing through their two pool games, the Dragons piled on the points in a 32-12 victory over Bathurst St Pats in the Grand Final to claim the title and the $3000 prize money which went along with it. … Continue reading Dragons delight as Mudgee wins 2024 Bathurst Panthers Knockout over St Pats

Excitement building across Central West after release of Peter McDonald Premiership Draw

By Tallon Smith The long off-season is finally coming to an end and football is on the horizon, with the Peter McDonald Premiership draw being released for the 2024 season. After a highly competitive and entertaining season in 2023, the competition is looking like a wide open race again this season, with any number of clubs from both Groups 10 and 11 looking like genuine … Continue reading Excitement building across Central West after release of Peter McDonald Premiership Draw

Group 10 comes out on top in Western Region Inter-Group matches

By Tallon Smith The Group 10 Representative side has beaten both their Group 11 and Castlereagh (Group 14) rivals to be crowned the premier district in the Western Region at the Rams trials held in Wellington on Saturday. In the opening match, Group 10 shocked the more fancied Group 11 outfit by defeating them 16-10. The result is the reverse of last year’s defeat to … Continue reading Group 10 comes out on top in Western Region Inter-Group matches

Two Group 10 clubs find new home for 2024 season

By Tallon Smith The Woodbridge Cup will feature a record fourteen teams in 2024 after applications from the Blayney Bears and Cowra Magpies were accepted last week. The two Group 10 clubs played in the Peter McDonald Premiership Reserve Grade this season after they were unable to field First Grade teams due to the rapid rise in competition standard and salaries in the past few … Continue reading Two Group 10 clubs find new home for 2024 season

Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL

By Tallon Smith The Dubbo CYMS have avenged last year’s loss to Forbes with a 25-12 win over the Mudgee Dragons in the Peter McDonald Premiership Grand Final at Apex Oval on Sunday. The CYMS, whose charge was spearheaded by fullback Jeremy Thurston, who finished with a try, four goals and a field goal, saw off a determined Mudgee side, who were without suspended captain-coach … Continue reading Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL

Peter McDonald Premiership: Group 10 and 11 Premiers decided

By Tallon Smith The Mudgee Dragons and Dubbo CYMS have been awarded the Group 10 and 11 First Grade Premierships after finishing on top of their respective competition tables ahead of the combined Peter McDonald Premiership Finals Series set to begin next weekend. Finishing with identical 11-3 records, the two sides each played ten matches within their Groups (playing the other 5 sides home and … Continue reading Peter McDonald Premiership: Group 10 and 11 Premiers decided

Cowra, Blayney to enter new combined Peter McDonald Premiership Reserve Grade

By Tallon Smith Just weeks after announcing the withdrawal of their First Grade team from the Peter McDonald Premiership in 2023, the Cowra Magpies have put an end to the uncertainty surrounding the club’s future by entering their top side into the new combined Peter McDonald Premiership Reserve Grade competition alongside fellow Group 10 battlers Blayney. Following their decision to pull out of First Grade, … Continue reading Cowra, Blayney to enter new combined Peter McDonald Premiership Reserve Grade

Why Bush Footy’s Divergence Has Never Been More Stark Than in 2023

By Tallon Smith COUNTRY rugby league has been rocked by yet another proud club withdrawing from First Grade competitions for the 2023 season, with the Cowra Magpies this week electing not to field a team in the Peter McDonald Premiership this year. Bush Footy’s divergence between the rich and the poor has never been more stark than in 2023, with the top grade withdrawals of … Continue reading Why Bush Footy’s Divergence Has Never Been More Stark Than in 2023