They have knocked over arch-rivals Bathurst Bulldogs, secured a win over long-time nemesis Dubbo ’Roos, pushed premiers Narromine within a whisker of defeat and split their two encounters with top-three side Orange City.

However, one box that they might like to tick more than any other is a win against the Forbes Platypi. CSU want to exact some revenge over the team which knocked them out of the competition in last year’s minor semi-final with a thrilling two-try burst in the final four minutes.

They already missed their first chance when they went down 18-14 in Forbes earlier in the season.

Flanker Charlie Nordfeldt says that last year’s exit at the hands of the Platypi still hurt and even as a spectator it was hard to watch.

“I was playing second grade at the time but it was pretty heartbreaking to watch a lot of guys playing their last match in the jersey go out like that,” Nordfeldt said.

“The fact that they knocked us off earlier this year in Forbes just makes us even more determined to make sure we take care of them this week and secure our spot.”

Nordfeldt had been sporadic in his top grade appearances prior to 2010, debuting two seasons ago and landing four matches in the first 15 last season at a time when the loose forwards were in abundance at the club and even earning a shot took plenty of patience.

This season he has been as solid as a rock and has made the openside position his own in one of the most-improved and best packs in the competition, both within the tight-five and the back three.

“It has been awesome playing behind a tight-five that includes guys like Charlie Croucher, Alex McKendry and Nick Hughes-Clapp,” he said.

“Those guys allow us to retain so much ball and I can really concentrate on getting at the opposition flyhalves rather than spending the whole match trying to pilfer the ball.”

When you hear about some of the institutions at which he has plied his trade, you can understand where his pedigree in the sport comes from.

“I came to CSU in 2007 to do a double-degree in advertising and marketing but before that I did a GAP year over in England,” Nordfeldt explained.

“I spent that year at the Rugby School in Warwickshire doing some coaching and actually got to play a game on the oval there.”

For the uninitiated, the school and oval Nordfeldt refers to is where the game itself as it is now known was actually invented by its most notable student – William Webb Ellis – early in the 1800s.

Before that he went to school at The Shore School in North Sydney – one of the premier rugby union institutions in the state and where he had the sport bred into him.

“It was compulsory to play there, until then I’d been a soccer player but I made the switch and basically went straight into flanker from the start. And I’ve been playing there ever since,” he explained.

Nordfeldt and the rest of the CSU pack should get a fair test from Forbes, who’s own forwards are renowned as being among the toughest in the competition. If they are a legitimate premiership contender, this is the sort of game CSU has to win and win well.

A win for CSU will keep them in the hunt for third – they are currently six points adrift of Orange City.

Their match with Forbes kicks off at University Oval at 3pm tomorrow afternoon.

CSU: 1 Alex McKendry, 2 Hiram Brooke, 3 Charlie Croucher, 4 Jono Palmer, 5 Nick Hughes-Clapp, 6 Zander Williment, 7 Charlie Nordfeldt, 8 Matt Boylan-Smith, 9 Dom Longhurst, 10 Matt Coote, 11 Josh Gerrard, 12 Lachie Blunt, 13 Sam Coote, 14 Teddy Bates, 15 Tim White