WHILE the Western Rams will be the home side this Sunday when meeting North Sydney at Carrington Park, the Bears hold a special place in Bathurst's rugby league history.
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When the Bears line up for Sunday's Presidents Cup match, it will mark 107 years since they first played in Bathurst.
On April 26, 1913, Sydney clubs Souths and Norths played the first ever game of rugby league in the city at Bathurst Sportsground.
Souths won the exhibition match 23-19, with Bathurst's National Advocate reporting 1,500 spectators attended the contest which was 'keenly contested' and 'brilliant'.
It was a match which had Bathurst sports fans - who were more familiar with rugby union - captivated. The National Advocate article claimed the crowd 'were unanimous from every point of view that the league game is vastly superior to that of union'.
The opening try was scored by Souths fullback Howard Hallett, a talent who toured with the 1911-1912 Australasian Kangaroos. He also kicked three goals to put the red and greens out to a 9-0 lead.
For Norths, it was centre Jimmy Devereux who opened his side's account in Bathurst with a penalty to make it 9-2 at half-time.
Nicknamed 'muscles', Devereux played in Norths' inaugural season in 1908, he was a member of the first NSW Rugby League team, played in the first Trans Tasman Test and was the first Australian to score a try against Great Britain.
The second half produced eight tries (then worth three points each) and interestingly, one of Souths' try-scorers was winger Harold Horder, who went on to be a part of Norths' premiership sides in 1921-1922.
The Bears team which will play the Rams on Sunday is coached by former halfback Jason Taylor and boasts an array of Canterbury Cup talents like skipper Tom Freebairn, Josh Bergamin, Bradley Deitz and James Tuitahi.
The Bears line-up also includes former Orange CYMS junior Toby Westcott at halfback.
Kick-off at Carrington Park is 2pm and those who plan to attend must purchase a ticket.
