Last weekend saw the final games of the regular season completed, with Orange CYMS claiming the minor premiership while St Pat’s and Oberon earned hosting rights for the first weekend of finals football.

St Pat’s and fierce rivals Bathurst Panthers will do battle in the major preliminary semi-final at Carrington Park on Sunday, while Oberon and Mudgee will fight for survival in the minor semi on Saturday.

“It's been a really good year so far and really close. It was only on Sunday at four o'clock that it was decided St Pat's got to host the semi-final and not Panthers. Panthers got beat and that moved everything around a bit,” Zamparini said, making reference to Mudgee’s 34-22 victory over Panthers.

"The teams in the top five a couple of weeks out were always going to finish in that top five, but it still wasn't clear who was going to finish where.

"It worked out well for Bathurst, it is going to be a big one with a derby between Pat's and Panthers in first grade and reserve grade.

"That is going to be a cracker because the winner will go on and play Orange CYMS and whoever wins that game hosts the grand final.”

Just as the Bathurst derby shapes as a close contest, so too does the Oberon versus Mudgee match.

Little has separated the pair so far this year and with their season on the line, there will be no lack of motivation come Saturday afternoon.

"Oberon at one stage led the comp, it was daylight second. They fell away a bit there, but they hung on to make the semis and that is what they were aiming to do,” Zamparini said.

"Oberon in the first round beat them at Oberon in one of the toughest games both of them played all year and then when Oberon went up there to Mudgee, they drew 26-all.

"If both of them have their full teams this weekend, which they should, it will be a cracker.”

Zamparini said he was not surprised at the make up of the top five and was pleased the close nature of the competition extended to first division and under 18s as well.

"I think Blayney will be a little bit disappointed with how they went and I thought Mudgee might have been further up the ladder, but I am not surprised with that top five,” he said.

"But you could see it from last year - Pat's they didn't change much and Panthers were just growing and growing. 

"First grade was close, and so was reserve grade - it didn't get sorted out until the final rounds. In the under 18s it was pretty close too.”

The other pleasing aspect of the competition thus far for Zamparini is the spread of finalists across the clubs.

CYMS and Panthers have qualified teams across all four grades – premier league, first division, under 18s and league tag. Pat’s and Oberon have three sides still in contention, Mudgee two, while Blayney, Cowra, Orange Hawks and Lithgow Workies qualified one outfit each.

"It is looking good, but even before kick-off this year every club was keen and confident and ready to go, the vibe was really good,” Zamparini said.