MELISSA Waterford can remember the days when the only selection criteria for the Central West Rugby Union women's representative side was owning a pair of football boots and being available.
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She is delighted how far things have come since those days.
This season close to 60 female talents from across the region have trialled to make the Central West side which will attend the Country Championships later this year.
But it's not just that increased interest and a larger player pool to draw on which highlight the progress of the women's game in the Central West.
This Saturday Bathurst Bulldogs star Waterford will lead a Central West side into battle against the formidable Sydney University outfit. It will be a curtain raiser to the Super W match between the New South Wales Waratahs and RugbyWA.
"It will be a really good experience for some of the young girls, it's really exciting," Waterford said.
"It's very exciting to play when you get to show what girls from the Central West are capable of doing, especially in Sydney when you will be watched by people who have been around rugby for a long time.
"It gives us a chance to show the level of professionalism we have out here and gives those girls a chance to be seen by people who they'd not gotten the opportunity to be seen by before - we want to show we have a lot of talent here in the Central West.
"It's exciting to see how far we've come from when we first started. There's a real pride when you put on that jumper, it's a real honour to play for the Central West."
There's a real pride when you put on that jumper, it's a real honour to play for the Central West
- Melissa Waterford
Waterford has plenty of experience in Central West colours, but she knows from the time she made her representative debut to the how things are now run with the women's Blue Bullettes are vastly different.
It reflects the growth in women's participation in the Central West - this season three separate premierships will be contested - and the ever-increasing talent amongst the best players. It is a transition which Waterford, who is hugely passionate about the sport, has been delighted to witness.
"We used to have to try and con people to play and you'd literally meet at the game," she said.
"It was 'Who can get work off this weekend to come and play Central West?' and if you got a training session together it was a bonus. Now you've really got to push to get your spot.
"There are a lot of people coming into the sport who are really talented and really good at their positions.
"It's exciting, there are new teams coming into the comp like Parkes and Parkes have had girls show up to the trial that are playing very well. Teams like Cootamundra who might not have done well in the comp, they've still got some good talent which has come to the trials.
"It's not just the teams who normally dominate the cup in the squad, there are other girls that are coming through as well. That should mean it will be a good, even comp."
As Waterford indicated, talented players from across the region have trialled for this year's Central West squad.
The extended squad has had two Sunday sessions thus far, with Saturday's match against Sydney Uni to act as a trial game. It will be a way for Blue Bullettes hopefuls to further stake their claims for a spot in the final team which will be selected to attend the Country Championships in June.
While no CSU players were involved in the representative side in 2019, this year they have a strong presence in the extended squad.
The likes of try-scoring weapon Jacinta Cooper, versatile play maker Ash Bridge, plus Molly Kennedy and Bridie Comiskey will line up against Sydney University.
Three-time defending premiers the Bathurst Bulldogs are well represented as well with not only players with NSW Country experience like Waterford and Marita Shoulders set to test themselves against Sydney University, but Ebony Fenton, Courtney Auld and Gaby Fahy as well.
And a test is exactly what Waterford anticipates for the side as Sydney Uni will be keen to impress on their home turf.
However, the skipper embraces that given it is a chance for Central West players to further develop and see what the standard of the Sydney heavyweights is like.
"Sydney Uni has such a tough team and has got a lot of representative players in it, so it will be a really good opportunity for the girls to step up against some strong opposition," she said.
"We are going to be playing girls who know how to play 15s, they are going to have really good structure and will have plays to use against us which we are going to have to defend.
"Sydney Uni has been on top for a very long time in Sydney, they are probably the best side in the comp which is why they've got so many players in that Super W team. It's a great opportunity for these girls to play at another level and rise themselves up again.
"It's a great for some of these girls that are new to the Central West fold to get out there, have a crack and show what they can do."
