MAKING Kangaroo mince meat and icing cakes - that will be the mission for the Bathurst Bulldogs Rugby Club this Saturday.
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The Bulldogs are hoping to ice already strong campaigns from the women's, second and third grade teams with a premierships this Saturday, but standing in their way are the Dubbo Kangaroos.
All three Roos sides which Bulldogs will do battle with on grand final day finished as the undefeated minor premiers in their grades and are the title favourites.
But Bulldogs club captain Kurt Weekes is hoping that his club - who's rivalry with the Roos extends more than 50 years - will have reason to celebrate at Wade Park when the final siren sounds in each of those deciders.
"Playing Dubbo in all the grand finals, it's not something we are not used to, usually we run into Emus somewhere. But Dubbo have played well all year and have been the top in all those grades and were unlucky in ones last week," Weekes said.
"I dare say it will be close in all three grades against them.
"Hopefully we can go and put the icing on the cake this weekend."
While Weekes may not be familiar with multiple Bulldogs versus Roos battles on grand final day, there are many members of both the Bathurst and Dubbo clubs that will be.
In 1997 four of the five grand finals played were Bulldogs versus Roos.
That year Bulldogs won first grade (10-6) and colts (16-15) over the Roos, while the Dubbo club took the honours in seconds (32-16) and thirds (18-3).
The following year three of the grand finals contested were between the two with Bulldogs winning each of them - first grade prevailed 20-18, seconds got home 8-3 while Bathurst's colts beat the Roos 20-7.
This year the first XV from both Bulldogs and the Roos fell one win short of a grand final, but Weekes says the battle for lower grade premierships will be just as intense.
A title in any grade is something the entire Bathurst club will relish.
"Probably a lot of people didn't expect to even be playing footy this year, so to get the boys and the women out on the paddock and three of those into a grand final is a big achievement," he said.
"Obviously every club likes to get their first grade through, but I think we've got that mentality of whether it's first grade, seconds or thirds or the women's team, that we are all one club.
"It's good to see the first graders still down here training - everybody is trying to get everybody over the line. It's definitely not just about first grade, the club gets behind every team."
While third grade has played Dubbo twice this year, for the seconds and women's teams it will be their first meeting since July 18. The Kangaroos took bragging rights that day, but on Saturday Weekes is hoping for something different.
"I'd say Dubbo will be the favourites in all of them, we've only played them once this year as our round two games got snowed out, but in round one Dubbo got us. No doubt they'll be ready to rock and roll again and everybody will have to bring their best game and may the best teams win," he said.
"Hopefully we can start strong and carry it through the full day."
The grand finals will be played at Wade Park.
