CSU won't feature in this year's New Holland Cup grand final, but skipper Nick Plunkett is predicting that the Parkes Boars will be there has has his fingers crossed they'll win.
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Plunkett offered his tip after CSU went down 27-5 to Parkes at University Oval on Saturday, a result which has the Boars two points outside the top two while the students remain fourth.
Given the season was shortened due to the coronavirus, instead of a regular finals series in 2020, the top two sides after 10 regular rounds will battle it out in the grand final.
With two rounds remaining, Mudgee, Narromine and Parkes are battling for those spots.
"Parkes, they're good, they're very good," Plunkett said.
"I noticed at the end they rested a few players and even the second graders that came on for them, they were good. They have that depth and I think they'll make the grand final.
"My favour lies with Parkes, I've got a few friends in there, a few old CSU boys, so I hope they win it."
Plunkett and his CSU team-mates knew prior to kick-off on Saturday that they would be condemned to the ranks of the also-rans for 2020, but they were still hopeful of upsetting the Boars.
The students maintained that hope as they repelled the Boars in the opening stages of the contest, but by half-time it had become a much tougher assignment.
Parkes had scored three unanswered tries with Jake Dooley, Paddy Jones and Jonah Ruzgas - who won a premiership with CSU last season - all crossing. Luke Bevan converted one of those to make it 17-0.
The second half was just a tick over three minutes old when Dooley crossed on the left edge, his second try bringing with it a crucial bonus point for the Boars.
After that it CSU who enjoyed the better field possession. Second rower Lachie Buckton and flanker Aden Macdougall tried to inspire both in attack and defence, and prop Angus Dunn came within inches of scoring, but the students' inability to string together multiple phases relieved the pressure on Parkes.
Fullback Lhiam Burrell tried to do it himself on a kick return as he put boot to ball then toed it off the ground twice as he ran towards the try line, but Parkes' cover defence arrived in time to deny him.
Finally, after 62 minutes, CSU got on the board as scrumhalf Harry Magriplis muscled his way over to make it 22-5.
But Parkes had the last say as, four minutes from full-time, Brad Watt crossed in the right corner.
"I think that it just came down to a bit of fitness, because by the end of the fifth phase our structure just wasn't there," Plunkett said.
"That means we need to work a bit harder at training. It is a bit hard because it's near the end of the season and there's only two games left now. I think the first five phases were good, but after that we stuffed up.
"The first 20 minutes we were in our own 22 and holding them off, but they scored a few sneaky tries, it was a bit lazy from us and they got that lead."
While CSU was willing, Plunkett still wants to see improvement in their final fortnight of rugby for 2020.
"That's been our season, we always try until the last minute as a try will boost any team's morale. So it was nice to score a try and we all played for each other," he said.
"There's stuff we can definitely improve on so the next two weeks is all about building a team structure for us to go into next year and maybe score an upset or two."
