BATHURST Panthers are set to pay homage to one of Group 10's most successful clubs this Saturday when they don the colours of Bathurst Railway for their Peter McDonald Premiership match.
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Panthers are helping promote Railway's reunion for the title-winning 1980 and 1981 teams by making a change to red and green for the weekend's meeting with Cowra Magpies.
Members of the Railway's two last premierships were scheduled to have their 40-year anniversary reunion in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic put those plans on hold for two years.
Railway were a force to be reckoned with in Group 10's early years as well as the late 70s and early 80s as they racked up nine premierships from as many grand final appearances before the club was disbanded after the 1993 season.
Panthers will be hoping to channel some of that invincible energy when they take to the field for their second meeting of the season against the Magpies.
The Panthers took down Magpies 38-20 back in round two of the competition at Sid Kallas Oval and come into this game off a confidence-boosting 46-4 hammering of the Orange Hawks.
Five-eighth Noah Griffiths and second rower Mack Atkins are hoping the change of colours for this week don't come with a change to the intensity that the team brought to the field against Orange last round.
Griffiths said it's great to play a part in helping Railway with their anniversary celebrations.
"This was meant to go ahead last year so it's good to finally get the opportunity to do this," he said.
The win over Hawks has reignited the fire in the Panthers side after rare back-to-back defeats.
"It was a big plus in the club, that win. Attitude-wise we just weren't there for two weeks. That was pretty rare for us at the club because ever since we've come through 18s we've hardly seen that," Griffiths said.
"We talked about that at training and we got out there and showed what we can do."
Griffiths has proven a strong addition to the halves and Atkins' second row shift is working well.
Having played on the wing and in the centres Atkins finds himself enjoying a different role.
"It's a lot to wrap you're head around, and when you're jumping from side to side you've got to learn everything back to front," he said.
"After a couple of run through with the boys it's been going really well."
One of the Panthers' strong suits this season has been their ability to adapt to a changing side week-to-week, due to injuries. and illnesses.
"It's been a bit up and down. You just try your best each week," Atkins said.
"It's been a little inconsistent but nice to start to get a consistent team on the paddock," Griffiths added.
Panthers are starting to develop some consistency in their lineup, with just the single change being made this weekend.
Dylan Myles comes onto the wing Aiden Ryan.
Kick-off is 4.35pm at Carrington Park.
BATHURST PANTHERS: 1 Josh Rivett, 2 Desi Doolan, 3 Keelan Bresac, 4 Jeremy Gordon, 5 Dylan Myles, 6 Noah Griffiths, 7 Willie Wright, 8 Daniel Bain, 9 Hudson White, 10 Jed Betts, 11 Claude Gordon, 12 Mack Atkins, 13 Jake Betts, 14 McCoy White, 15 Dave Sellers, 16 Tommy Lemmich, 17 Jia Siakosoni
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