September 5, 2004, holds a special place in the memory of Mudgee Dragons fans.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
However, it's a day Bathurst Panthers fans would love to forget.
Ahead of this Sunday's Group 10 premier league grand final, we have a look back at the last time Mudgee and Panthers played in a premiership decider at Carrington Park.
Will history repeat for the Dragons or will the licorice allsorts buck the trend and win back-to-back premierships for the second time this century?
Heartbreak for Panthers, sweet victory for Mudgee community
Heartbreaking.
That's how the Western Advocate described the 2004 grand final day for the Bathurst Panthers, with the club's three sides losing all their respective grand finals - 17-10 to Mudgee in premier league, 20-12 to St Pat's in first division and 30-14 to Cowra in under 18s.
However, the Mudgee Guardian described it as a "sweet victory", with the Gulgong Terriers winning its grand final against the Portland Colts in the Mid West Cup as well to make the day a fantastic occasion for the Mudgee region.
In the main game, Mudgee produced some of the most "daring grand final football seen" to claim the club's third premiership in five seasons.
The scores were locked at 10-all with 10 minutes remaining and Panthers looked to be finishing stronger, after being down 10-0 at half-time.
But as Panthers captain-coach Dave Elvy kept kicking deep into Mudgee territory late in the second half, the Dragons kept spinning the ball wide to get out of their own half.
One Dragons' mistake could have been fatal but their bravery earned them victory when they looked for four points rather than one.
In the 75th minute, Elvy was pressured into taking a left-footed field goal attempt which went along the ground but Panthers still had great field position.
The Dragons spun the ball left and made 80 minutes in one minute. They threw it back to the right and captain and man of the match Warick Colley produced a perfect 25-metre pass.
The spiral ball got centre Greg Ward on the outside of Panthers winger Mick Armstrong and Ward scored near the sideline.
Colley then produced a magic conversion and a 38-metre field goal on the last play of the game to sink the Panthers.
Mudgee coach Tony Pascoe admitted the late razzle dazzle wasn't exactly what he was looking for, but only the result matters.
"It was a real tough grand final where the ball wasn't spread a lot - until we scored that last try anyway," he said.
"It was tough to watch but a win's a win. It's a grand final and I couldn't give a bugger how we got there."
Elvy knew it was the first half - where Panthers completed just nine of 17 sets of six and conceded five penalties - which cost his side. However, he was proud of the second-half revival.
"Some people say you have to lose on to win one, but it's very disappointing," he said.
"That's my first loss here and hopefully most of the boys hang around and go around again with me next year."
There were some contentious moments. The most notable was with the scores locked at 10-all. Panthers lock Clint Giddings found try-bound winger Dan Stuart with eight minutes remaining and it looked like the Panthers would hit the lead for the first time.
However, referee Glenn Rose ruled the pass forward and the momentum swung Mudgee's way.
- MUDGEE DRAGONS 17 (Mark Fitzgerald, Matt Lang, Greg Ward tries; Warick Colley 2 goals, field goal) defeated BATHURST PANTHERS 10 (William Kennedy, Christian Luyks tries; Clint Giddings goal)
A quick recap
Following the Panthers' 2004 grand final heartbreak, they would lose the 2005 decider to Lithgow Workies.
They would finally break through for the club's maiden premiership 2006 in controversial fashion against the Workies, winning against the same opposition in 2007.
The club is defending premiers after claiming a miraculous victory Cowra at Sid Kallas Oval last September, with Willie Wright kicking a sideline conversion with minutes remaining to seal a 12-10 victory.
Mudgee would not taste success again until 2009, outscoring Lithgow Workies 32-29 at Jubilee Oval.
The Dragons' last premiership a famous 2016 win against Orange CYMS, where the Dragons come from fifth spot to knock-off the grand final hosts.
Mudgee knocked off Oberon (42-22), St Pat's (20-4) and Panthers (22-20) to qualifying for the grand final, where they accounted for CYMS 14-10 at a rain-soaked Wade Park.
Interested in more Group 10 history? Have a look out a Footy Flashback series from earlier this year:
- Group 10 1950s grand finals: CYMS dominate as now-extinct Lithgow clubs win titles
- Group 10 1960s grand finals: When Oberon conquered the Central West
- Group 10 1970s grand finals: Dynasty ends, new premiers crowned
- Group 10 1980s grand finals: Shamrocks' heyday, Railway go back-to-back
- Group 10 1990s grand finals: When Blayney were at their grizzliest best
- Group 10 2000s grand finals: Mudgee roar to four premierships
- Group 10 2010s grand finals: Sullivan guides CYMS to five premierships