ONE of the greatest Central West sporting dynasties remains at its peak.
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St Pat's won their third straight Group 10 senior league tag title on Sunday 10-4 against a valiant Orange Hawks team, who have been one of the few sides to offer up a challenge to the Saints.
Bronte Emanuel scored both tries for the Saints while Group 10 league tag player of the year Erin Naden was named best on ground.
Winning coach Mick Armstrong was over the moon as his Saints celebrated their second straight undefeated season.
"Our defence on the line was outstanding but when they were coming out of our end they were making line breaks. We had to keep defending our line but we did it and that was great to see," he said.
"They were buggered at half-time. They'd had to work hard that whole half and Hawks kept coming. They played great all day and a lot of credit has to go to them.
"We stuck in there, worked hard for each other and came away with the win.
"The whole competition improves with every year. Hawks have been a great adversary of ours for the past three years and I'm sure they will continue to be for years to come."
Orange had come within two points of St Pat's during the regular season but after a comprehensive major semi-final win for the Saints the pressure was on Hawks to lift their game.
They did just that, pushing Pat's for the entire length of Sunday's grand final at Carrington Park.
Although her team didn't get the result they wanted Hawks captain Bec Ford was proud of the performance from a new-look Orange team this year.
"We had a high turnover in 2019 and we probably lost 60 per cent of our players. For those new girls to come into the team and buy in to what we're doing is pretty cool," she said.
"Pat's don't have any weak links. They're a strong side across the park. They have a lot of experience with league tag.
"I think we just lack that bit of experience. If we can come out next year and just continue to build every year we'll be a great side."
A knock on from Hawks to start their second set of the match gave the Saints a full set inside their opponents' 20m.
Pat's took full advantage down the left edge as they put Bronte Emanuel over in the corner for the game's opening points.
Hawks got their fans in full voice when Bridie McClure found a break through the middle of the park to put the two blues in striking range, but a penalty in the play-the-ball against the Orange women stopped the charge.
Pat's kept Hawks camped in their own territory midway through the first half before Cheynoah Merchant ran more than 60m down the left wing to ease the pressure.
Em McDonald and Pania Taku also broke through the Saints' line but the blue and whites' defence was able to scramble back and avert the danger.
Just when Pat's thought they had got themselves out of trouble thanks to a sprint down the field from Meredith Jones, Hawks responded in kind with a burst of their own through an ever-dangerous McDonald.
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Hawks were the more dangerous team in the run towards half-time and the kicking game of Bec Ford ensured Pat's had to be at the top of their game to stay on top.
Somehow, in a half riddled with line breaks, the teams went into the sheds with the score still at 4-0.
Pat's didn't come out the dressing rooms looking their usual fired-up selves.
Saints put themselves under pressure early in the new half with a spate of missed tags, penalties and even kicks out on the full.
Injuries to Hawks' Jen Wensley and Lilly Baker starved the team of some firepower and Pat's pulled through another dangerous window of Orange offence.
The Saints' defensive efforts were rewarded when Emanuel weaved her way though three Hawks defenders to score an excellent solo try from 20m out.
Mish Somers' conversion made it 10-0 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Hawks refused to back down and Pat's kept their determined opponents at bay until the final two minutes of the match.
The Orange squad found a try through Ford down the right wing but it would only be a consolation effort.