Despite the chilly cold front that swept through the Bathurst region on Saturday, fans generated a warm reception at Carrington Park for the National Rugby League [NRL] round 3 clash between the Penrith Panthers and the Melbourne Storm.
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Around 10,973 fans attended the game which saw the Storm play in Bathurst for the first time.
The crowd eclipsed last year's figure of 10,287 people to set a new record for NRL games in Bathurst.
It was a tough night for the Panthers who, despite putting first points on the board, couldn't match the Storm's consistency, with the 2018 NRL runners-up emerging victorious by 30 points.
Now in its sixth year, the annual NRL fixture has become a staple of Bathurst's burgeoning events calendar.
Bathurst mayor Graeme Hanger said the event plays a key part in showcasing the capabilities of the region at hosting major events.
"Each year, the game brings plenty of people to town, and it's great to see the NRL endeavouring to bring more top tier rugby league to the country," Mr Hanger said.
"Around 40 per cent of the tickets sold for the game were from the 2795 postcode, which shows that locals are getting behind the event."
Mr Hanger acknowledged the close relationship that the Bathurst community shares with rugby league, referring to the diverse history of the sport in the region.
"Ever since the first rugby league competition was staged in Australia in 1908, the sport has enjoyed an illustrious history in the Bathurst region," he said.
The first recorded game of rugby league in Bathurst was between North Sydney and South Sydney at the Bathurst Sportsground on April 26, 1913.
While the final result didn't go in the way of his team, local Panthers fan Mick Burrow said the club does an outstanding job at nurturing talent from Bathurst.
"They've got a great juniors program, and a lot of players from Bathurst go to Penrith for their first taste of professional rugby league," Mr Burrow said.
Meanwhile, there was plenty to cheer about for Storm fan Heather Spickler, who is an official member of the 'Travelin' Thunder,' the official supporters group for the club in NSW.
"We attend every game that the Storm play away from home, and we've been running this group since 2001," Ms Spickler said.
The St Pats Rugby League Club has been running a canteen at the event since the first NRL fixture in 2014, and club president David Chapman said the canteen serves as a vital fundraiser.
"It's a great initiative of the NRL and Penrith Panthers to allow local sporting clubs to run stalls here," Mr Chapman said.
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
