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That’s what’s happened to the Group 10 competition rounding the opening month of 2017, following Hawks’ gutsy win over premiers Mudgee last week.
Previous to that, you could lock Oberon, CYMS, Bathurst Panthers and the Dragons into the top four – but injury has cruelled the defending premiers, so much so, is a spot in the top five guaranteed for Peter Hickman’s side anymore?
You be the judge … here’s this weekend’s teams for round four of the competition, and the Dragons are down plenty.
GROUP 10, ROUND FOUR:
Saturday, April 29:
ORANGE HAWKS v BATHURST PANTHERS at Pride Park (Waratahs Sportsground), Orange;
HAWKS: 1 Jedd Kennedy, 2 Jordan Baker, 3 Jack Aumuller, 4 Sione Tongia, 5 Viane Falaniko, 6 Willie Heta, 7 Callum Mokaraka, 8 Kruz Robinson, 9 Bobby Brown, 10 Arty Shead, 11 Ethan McKellar, 12 Brent Morgan, 13 Nathan Potts; Bench: 14 Jake Blimka, 15 Glen Maxwell, 16 Sia Nomani, 17 Jack Middleton.
COACH: Willie Heta.
PANTHERS: 1 Jeremy Gordon, 2 Brayden Cassidy, 18 Kyle Byrnes, 4 Jye Barrow, 5 Kade Barrow, 6 Claude Gordon, 7 Doug Hewitt, 8 Brent Seager, 9 Nick Loader, 10 Jedd Betts, 11 Blake Seager, 12 Jack Siejka, 13 Jake Betts; Bench: 14 Todd Barrow.
COACH: Todd Barrow.
NOTE: No Simon Osborne and no Jarred Seager for the men in black – that’s a lot of size missing from Todd Barrow’s side. Brent Seager is arguably the form prop of the comp though. Hawks flying after knocking off defending premiers Mudgee last weekend.
REFEREE: Dale Harding.
RELATED: HAWKS: Two blues ride wave of confidence after Mudgee win; PANTHERS: Slow starts an issue we need to fix: Barrow.
Sunday, April 30:
LITHGOW WORKIES v BLAYNEY BEARS at Tony Luchetti Sportsground, Lithgow;
WORKIES: 1 Keelan Bresac, 2 Aaron Kelson, 3 Jai Straney, 4 Ben Glasson, 5 Brent Brogan, 6 Jono Van Veen, 7 Josh Jones, 8 Brendon West, 9 Harry Bender, 10 Jimmy Reinhardt, 11 Mitch Case, 12 Riley Allan, 13 Corey Willmott; Bench: 14 Joel Noon, 15 Chris Rhodes, 16 Ben Picman.
COACH: Chris Rhodes.
BEARS: 1 Alex Hanrahan, 2 Ryley Oborn, 3 Josh Rainbow, 4 Ryan Oborn, 5 Zach Stammers, 6 Lochie Hobby, 7 Josh William, 8 Will Ingram, 9 Michael Toohey, 10 Travis Winanara, 11 Alex Pettit, 12 Ricky Scott, 13 Rakai Tueke; Bench: 14 Charlie Mortimer, 15 Dean Evans.
COACH: Will Ingram.
NOTE: Big chance for both sides to break their 2017 duck, but at home you’d back Workies. Jono Van Veen is class while Bresac and Case are both now Western representatives. Rhodes making his way back from injury via the bench. Bears must shore up their defence after leaking 100 points in first two games.
REFEREE: Nathan Blanchard.
RELATED: BEARS: Blayney must improve fitness to compete.
OBERON TIGERS v MUDGEE DRAGONS at Oberon Sportsground, Oberon.
TIGERS: 1 Matt Ballinger, 2 Dan Qoriniasi, 3 Abel Lefaoseu, 4 Jackson Brien, 5 Blake Miller, 6 Luke Branighan, 7 Anton Wereta, 8 Ryan Verderlin, 9 Luke Carptener, 10 Nathan Booth, 11 Mike Ingwerson, 12 Trent Rose, 13 Dave Sellars; Bench: 14 Sione Fotu-Moala, 15 Blake Ryan, 16 Cody Godden, 17 Brian Maher.
COACH: Luke Branighan.
DRAGONS: 1 Jared Robinson, 2 Joel Bodiam, 3 Lee Hicks, 4 Rota Setu, 5 Andrew Laurie, 6 Sam Wooden, 7 Tim Condon, 8 Nick Harvey, 9 Ben Thompson, 10 Nathan O’Brien, 11 Andrew Warwicker, 12 Aidan Woods, 13 Kurt Gudgeon.
COACH: Peter Hickman.
NOTE: Still no sign of Corin Smith or Jack Afamasaga, with coach Peter Hickman revealing last week the pair mightn’t be back until round six, when the Dragons host CYMS. Luke Branighan’s Tigers looking to end a month-long stay at home undefeated.
REFEREE: Billy Greatbatch.
COWRA MAGPIES v ORANGE CYMS at Sid Kallas Oval, Cowra;
MAGPIES: 1 Cameron Picker, 2 Nick Collett, 3 Caley Mok, 4 Zac Browne, 5 T Ashe, 6 Warren Williams, 7 Cam Bruest, 8 Caleb Tauwhare, 9 Rick Nobes, 10 Blake Tidswell, 11 Mitch Browne, 12 Toby Nobes, 13 Jack Nobes; Bench: Zac Starr, 15 Tamate Tauwhare.
COACH: Rory Brien.
CYMS: 1 Ben McAlpine, 2 Semisi Katoa, 3 Joey Lasagavibau, 4 Tom Satterthwaite, 5 Kurt Beahan, 6 Luke Petrie, 7 Dom Maley, 8 Chris Bamford, 9 Ryan Griffin, 10 Cam Jones, 11 Brenden Cousins, 12 Brock McGarity, 13 Tim Mortimer; Bench: 14 Robbie Mortimer, 15 Adam Stanford.
COACH: Mick Sullivan.
NOTE: Some big inclusions for both sides, with former Wests Tigers lower grader, and CYMS junior, Tom Satterthwaite adding some serious strike power out wide for Mick Sullivan. The Tauwhare boys get their first chance to impress for the Magpies at home.
REFEREE: Bryce Hotham.
RELATED: CYMS: Satterthwaite keen to test himself at Tigerland; COWRA: Tidswell leading Magpies charge from the front.
BATHURST ST PAT’S bye.
Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
