Group 10 Rugby League: Orange CYMS own last decade with five premiership haul

After arriving at the club prior to the 2010 season Sullivan promptly led the green and golds to that season's premiership and celebrated title wins in 2011, 2013, 2015 and then just for good measure led one of the most remarkable grand final comebacks in history in 2017.

Considering CYMS also played in the 2012 grand final it's hardly a surprise to see the Orange side top the competition's rankings when you consider the decade, from 2010 to 2019, as a whole. Naturally, only the regular season was considered across all 10 years.

Although they missed the finals in 2014 and this year too, CYMS' 10-year record is nigh-on-unbelievable and they finished almost 40 points clear of their nearest rival, the Mudgee Dragons.

The green and golds were the only side to win more than 100 games over the last 10 years and they also lost substantially fewer than the second-placed Dragons, and the rest of their rivals of course, to reign supreme in every statistic measured.

No other side came close to CYMS, with the green and golds' recent dynasty spurring memories of the great Oberon Tigers side of the 1960s.

The remainder of the 10-year standings proved an intriguing battle though, with almost every other side proving hot-and-cold throughout the decade, so much so just three point ended up separating third from sixth on the combined table.

Mudgee, who won the 2016 title and also played in grand finals in 2010 and this year, were consistent enough throughout that period to finish second, well clear of third-placed Bathurst Panthers.

Panthers were borderline woeful at the start of the decade but their surge throughout the past four years pushed them into the last decade's top three, in particular the seasons that delivered their back-to-back premiership wins in the last two years made all the difference.

The men in black were seventh on the list leading into the 2017 season but surged to third after that, incredibly, only points difference ended up separating them from fierce Bathurst rivals St Pat's.

The two sides finished locked on 187 competitions points, but Panthers' points difference was far superior.

Orange Hawks round out the hypothetical top five just one point further back, although the 10 games they played in 2011 before being punted have been left in their final tally.

Of course, that withdrawal was the result of their ugly brawl against Orange CYMS which was, at the time, labelled Group 10's darkest day.

Lithgow Workies finished sixth despite consistently being contenders and winning the 2012 premiership, they played in a couple more grand finals too but a winless season in 2016 proved telling.

Cowra's minor premiership-winning season in 2018 did little to push them up the overall standings as they finished seventh, while Oberon and Blayney round out the standings, not surprising considering neither side played in all 10 seasons.

*Orange Hawks' tally includes 10 games played before being withdrawn from remainder of 2011 season.