CSU, Oberon and Orange United join Woodbridge Cup for season 2022

It was with an air of disappointment that the three remaining Mid West Cup clubs - CSU, Oberon and Orange United - agreed to join the Woodbridge Cup premiership on Tuesday night in order to give their players a chance to compete in 2022.

The move was one that they had seen coming after Lithgow Bears and Portland Colts confirmed they would be unable to form this year due to lack of numbers.

Naturally it means the Mid West Cup, which has also included the likes of Kandos, Wallerawang, Blackheath and Villages United over the last decade, will not be run in its regular state.

However, Mid West president Booth insists the competition, which held its inaugural season in 1913, will not die.

"It is disappointing. The Mid West Cup has been around for over 120 years, it is the oldest cup in New South Wales Rugby League and we will come up with a way to make sure that continues," Booth promised.

"We haven't formulated what will happen yet, whether we have a standalone grand final for the remaining Mid West teams or whether it's something else, but the intent is that the Mid West Cup will be kept.

"We will come up with a solution for that, the integrity of the Mid West Cup will remain."

With CSU, Oberon and Orange United joining the Woodbridge Cup, that competition will now run over 14 regular rounds.

There will be some longer road trips, for example the Oberon Tigers will be travelling to Peak Hill, but clubs will also play the rivals based closest to them twice.

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Booth feels the draw that has been settled upon is the fairest solution.

It was also the only real solution for the Mid West clubs.

"It was probably the only move if we wanted to keep playing, for Orange United, CSU and ourselves [Oberon], it was the only move we had to keep playing," Booth said.

"It's going to be a bit more demanding, there's going to be more travel, but that's better than not playing any footy.

"The draw is set out to minimise travel wherever we can, meaning that we do play three closer sides twice each and the further sides we only play once. The next year the draw will swap.

"It's still fair because you get to play every team at least once and that you get to play the closest sides twice, Oberon will still get to play CSU and Orange United twice so we will still get that Mid West rivalry home and away.

"It's probably the fairest outcome under the circumstances."

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Booth said it remains to be seen if CSU, Oberon and Orange United can challenge for the Woodbridge Cup, but he is confident they will be competitive.

"Look CSU are strong every year, Warriors obviously made the Mid West grand final last year and went within 10 seconds of winning it, so they're reasonably strong," he said.

"As far as Oberon are concerned, we won it two years ago, and we've added a couple of players to our squad this year.

"So the three sides we're entering into it are relatively strong sides. There's no doubt Woodbridge has some heavy hitters as well, but that just adds a bit of excitement."

The creation of new league rivalries is something Booth sees as one of the big bonuses of the merger and hopes fans of all clubs will be supportive.

"There's going to be some good games of footy and bringing new teams to your home town is always exciting and will generate interest," he said.

"Hopefully we can get some new people through the gates."

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