Bathurst '75 to make return to Western Premier League on Saturday

It's the first time Bathurst will have two clubs competing in the league since it was revived back in 2020, with Mark Comerford, a man who previously coached '75 in the old iteration of the WPL, to be at the helm once again.

The boys in the blue will get their campaign under on Saturday against fellow new boys Orange CYMS at Sir Jack Brabham Park and Comerford said it'll be good for the two new teams to test themselves against each other.

READ MORE:

"We've all got expectations with what we want to achieve but whether they're realistic, you don't know until you play a few games and get into the week-to-week season," he said.

"It's kind of ironic that we're playing the other new boys. We haven't been in the comp, they haven't been in the comp.

"We've never played each other since the old Western Premier League days, so it's going to be an interesting way to start the season."

The vast majority of '75's WPL squad is made of players that were playing for Western NSW FC last year, including the likes of Tom Rooke, Luke Mutton, James Christie and Damien Booth.

While there's plenty of experience at '75, Comerford said he doesn't really have an understanding of what his team will be up against.

"A lot of the other teams have some really good players, especially those that have been in it for three years," he said.

"They've got an understanding what they're up against but we have no idea. We haven't been tested against any Western Premier League teams, so it's going to be an unknown.

"I guess when we play CYMS this weekend, they'll be in the same boat. It'll be two teams with unknown expectation to start with."

Bathurst '75 is a decorated club having previously spent the good part of almost three decades playing in the NSW State Leagues, as well as winning six WPL titles in the old iteration of the competition.

Comerford said it's great to have the club back in the WPL competition.

"I think from the club's point of view, we've have state league and Western Premier League teams in the past but for the past couple of years, we haven't really had that representation at that high level," he said.

"Even in the local competition, I don't even know the last time we had a men's first grade team.

"For the club to look at having that opportunity within our club and the region to play at a high level, it's great."

Kick-off is at 3.15pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: