The students welcome their families to University Oval for this weekend’s Charity and Parents Day, in which they’ll don special, celebratory, ACT Brumbies-style jerseys that will be auctioned off to raise money for Headspace and Veritas House.

This year’s event continues a long-standing tradition and last year the club raised $15,000 for a variety of charities.

CSU coach Luke Kelly is hoping the presence of loved ones and the meaning behind the jerseys will give his side a competitive edge in the second-versus-third showdown with the Boars.

“The boys are very excited, many are away from home so their families don’t get much of an opportunity to see them play,” he said, who knows how motivating the day can be as a former Mitchell Man himself.

“I know they will take a lot of pride from raising money in front of their families.”

CSU skipper Jack Keppel echoed Kelly’s sentiments, and said he’s confident his side can reverse its last result against Boars. At Parkes, the students led at half-time but fell away in the back end of the game.

“If our forwards can give our backs a platform, it’s been proven in the last couple of weeks we will score a lot of tries,” Keppel said, playing inside centre in a backline that’s crossed for 15 five-pointers in the last three weeks.

“We have a lot of belief after the last time we played them.”

CSU’s win last week came over Dubbo Rhinos, and was actually the first time the Mitchell Men had secured three wins on the trot since 2012 – when Kelly was playing hooker.

Adding to the day, CSU’s women’s side – the self-proclaimed Custards, in a spin-off the men’s Mustards moniker – will face-off against Orange Emus in an exhibition game, both sides have a bye in the Westfund Ferguson Cup.

While it won’t mean anything in terms of Central West Rugby Union’s blockbuster women’s competition, CSU is zoning in on that minor premiership and any chance for an added tune-up is one coach Dom Huggett wants to take.

“It’s a great incentive for my team. Most of them have never played in front of their parents and it is a great opportunity to include them in the day and raise more money,” Huggett said.

“We have always raised money for Headspace, but the Custards are a big part of the club now and this is why we’re building a relationship with charities that do a lot for women and young people in our community,” CSU vice-president Lincoln Sterling added.

Both Headspace and Veritas House are stoked to be the beneficiaries too.

“We're super-proud of this team and our ongoing partnership with CSU Mitchell Rugby, that aims to up-skill young men in mental health awareness and smash the stigma that stops young men seeking timely support,” a statement from Headspace, via Facebook, said.

“We will be setting up our marquee and have a few resources there for people who might be interested.”

“Veritas House has been providing homelessness and foster care services to support children and young people in the Central West for more than 35 years, and we are honoured that Mitchell Rugby has recognised the work that we do and chosen us as one of the charities they will be supporting on the day,” Narelle Stocks, Veritas House’s business development manager, added.

CSU’s women’s side faces Emus from 1pm, with the men’s side tackling Parkes from 3.15pm.