WHEN the Bathurst Bulldogs women sealed their first minor premiership in July they considered it a nice milestone - they had no idea that 23 days later that milestone would clinch them a fifth consecutive premiership.
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On Monday the Central West Rugby Union board announced that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown of the region, its remaining 2021 competitions would be abandoned.
Those competitions included the Ferguson Cup and given the Bulldogs had finished as minor premiers of that competition - posting 11 wins from 12 outings - they were declared champions.
While it it meant Bathurst did not get to play Dubbo Kangaroos - the team they beat out for last year's title and this year's minor premiership - in a grand final they had been eagerly anticipating, Bulldogs' consistently strong performances were rewarded.
"Definitely not the way we wanted to do it, I think we were all looking forward to the grand final and only a game away from playing our best footy," Bulldogs captain Mardi Watts said.
"It would have been nice to play, but a win is a win.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet, we were so looking forward to actually playing Dubbo, but it's a really good achievement.
"We beat them at their home ground and we beat them at ours, so it's not like we had that as any sort of advantage, we beat them twice."
As Watts indicated, on the way to finishing eight points clear in the minor premiership Bulldogs beat closest rivals Dubbo twice.
The Roos took the honours in their first meeting 29-19 in Dubbo, but Bulldogs responded by winning 48-7 at Ashwood Park then 29-10 on the road.
It is a record that helped Bulldogs go on a 10-game winning streak and had coach Jordan Bull confident his side would have won a grand final had it been played.
"I might sound a little bit cocky in saying this, but I think it would have been hard for them to lose the grand final the way that they were playing," he said.
"Dubbo is a good side, and if anyone could have knocked us over it would've been Dubbo and it would've been a great game of football. It's a shame we didn't get to play it.
"It's not the same feeling to win like this, but I suppose the girls were outstanding all year."
Those good performances throughout the entire year is something Watts is proud of as well. The experienced players led by example, their teenaged talents showed their huge potential and the newcomers learned and adapted quickly.
It was a combination which extended the already longest premiership streak in Central West women's rugby.
"Even with people working, people injured, people away, each week we still managed to get a good team on and I think that showed. It's a good club and a good group of girls," Watts said.
"From the old girls to the new girls coming through there was so much talent, the forwards and the backs, it was just across the whole squad.
"I am still really happy with the minor premiership because it's the first time I've ever won a minor premiership.
"Hopefully one day we get to drink out of the cup, but I don't think it will come any time soon," she added with a laugh.
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