Eight Bathurst Bulldogs will form part of Central West's bid to retain Tomson Cup

Eight Bathurst Bulldogs have been named in the 25-player Central West squad that will line up at Tamworth's Scully Park this weekend as the current Tomson Cup holders.

Second rower Melissa Waterford will skipper the team, with fullback Claudia McLaren her vice-captain.

NSW Country talent Marita Shoulders and Ebony Fenton line up in the front row while Kate Gullifer will steer the Blue Bullettes as flyhalf.

The bench features three Bathurst Bulldogs making their senior Central West debut in Molly Kennedy, Brydie Comisky and Jacinta Windsor.

"It's probably the best group we've had in a Central West team before, so it's pretty exciting," Waterford said.

"I think it's a really good reward for the amount of work the girls have done in the pre-season and just working through all of our skills and developing.

"It's definitely going to be good for us having those combinations, especially with the short program we've had and the distances we have to travel to train together.

"Having those girls that play together in club land all the time coming in the tournament is really, really good. They are combinations we won't have to try and develop."

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The Bulldogs' combinations are not the only ones which will benefit Central West, with Orange Emus trio Shae Annis-Brown, Jacky Lyden and Bridie McClure part of the starting forward pack and Karina Kiley coming off the bench.

Fellow Ferguson Cup clubs Forbes, Dubbo and Orange City are represented while Jacinta Cooper and Caitlin James - who are part of the undefeated North Cup competition leading CSU outfit - have earned the call up.

Mudgee and Parkes also have a pair of representatives while the South West Cup competition has one player in the Central West squad in Young's Becky O'Connor.

They will be coached by West Wyalong's Tristan Buttenshaw who also guided the Blue Bullettes to glory when the Country Championships were last held in 2019.

In that campaign the Blue Bullettes did not conceded a single point as they dominated from their first game.

Clicking from the outset once more is important as the Blue Bullettes must win their first game on Saturday afternoon if they are to advance to the Tomson Cup decider on Sunday morning.

However, due to the fact they are defending champions the side gets a free pass from the first round while Central Coast, Hunter, Central North and Mid North Coast do battle.

It is an undoubted advantage - Waterford's side meet the best loser first up - but the skipper also has faith her squad which features a mix of more experienced players like herself and emerging talents can go back-to-back.

"The last time we played was the first time Central West had won outright which was really exciting and we've managed to retain a few of those girls, so it will be good to have that experience because there are a lot of new girls coming through into this year's team," she said.

"We've definitely got a good forward pack. It's something we've always had - strong forwards - but to have a strong pack is this year is exciting.

"Our back line is quite good as well, it's got a lot of speed and skill and to have people like Kathy [Gullifer] with her kicking game, that adds to it as well.

"It's really good that not only do we have teams from those lower comps represented, but we've got a lot of junior girls coming through and that's exciting for me.

"To see there are actually all these young girls who are 18, 19, 20 coming through and definitely able to match it at this level, it's really exciting to see where they will go from here.

"The Central West's country junior programs are really growing that talent, they are coming through and are starting to come into the seniors now. We've really got to thank Tinky [Central West Rugby Union chief executive Matt Tink] for his support as well."

It was Central Coast who Waterford's side beat 31-0 in the 2019 cup final, but this year she expects stiff opposition from other zones as well.

"A few zones have got their team lists up and they look strong, they are the same as us in they have got a mix of old girls who have played before and a good group of 18, 19, 20 year olds coming up," she said.

The Blue Bullettes' opening game will be at 4.20pm Saturday, with the final set for 11.50am Sunday.

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