THE Group 10 Rugby League season will officially kick off this weekend and brings with it the promise of big hits, brilliant tries and closely contested matches.
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Bathurst Panthers, who actually played their season opener last month against Blayney, are hoping to make it back-to-back premier league crowns.
As for St Pat's, the mission will be to turn things around after missing out on the finals the past two seasons.
If either the Saints or Panthers can hoist the trophy on grand final day, it will add another chapter to the story of successful rugby league outfits from Bathurst.
The honour of Bathurst's first-ever premiers belongs to Old Boys, but they had to work hard before celebrating that title win on August 16, 1913.
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Not only did they fight back from 6-0 down to beat City 7-6, but it took two attempts to find a result after the first grand final a fortnight earlier ended in a 6-all draw.
While rugby union rules at the time stated teams must play an additional 10 minutes each way if scores were locked at full-time, the new code had no such provisions in case of a draw.
The original final saw Old Boys score first through H. Lynne, who broke away from a scrum, and then A. Bassett, to hold a six-point advantage at half-time.
With around 700-800 fans at the match City replied through NSW representative Archie Moncrieff and Naylor to lock the scores. In the wash-up City fullback Art Shea 'saved his side repeatedly' while five-eighth and captain Jack Hemsworth excelled. None was better for Our Boys than A Thompson.
