She thinks this year can mark City's first semi-final appearance since 2018 and that the playing group can show just how much it has improved.

With three rounds remaining Bathurst City is sitting in fifth, but it is just two points outside the top four. Cobcroft's side also has a fractionally better for and against than fourth placed Parkes.

"The last few years because we had such a young side it's been more about developing rather than results, but this year we're starting to see those results come through as some of the younger girls start to step up," she said.

"I think we are at that point now where we can start looking at how many wins do we need to make the semis. It's gone through my head and is probably going through Mal's [Willott, coach] as well.

"Anything can happen, because the competition is so close this year, anything can happen."

As for how many wins City needs - well that depends on what its rivals do given the close nature of the league.

If City wins all three of its remaining matches, it could potentially finish as high as second.

"That's the thing about this year, all of the games, all of the teams have been so close. It's such a good competition because all the teams are relatively well matched this year," she said.

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But winning those matches will require City to step things up again. Though defensively it has been strong - last Saturday Parkes was not able to convert from any of its 10 penalty corners - the Bathurst outfit needs to better capitalise on the chances it creates.

They've scored just 11 times across nine games.

However, there will be no lack of desire or motivation for City's attackers to find the target this Saturday given they'll be taking on Bathurst rivals Souths.

"There's always a bit of fire in our belly when we're versing another Bathurst team, we're playing each other in local first grade too, so there is that fire in our bellies to go right 'This is our town as well'," Cobcroft said.

"I think it's just that local competition idea, like we can't walk around for the next week saying they beat us."

The last time they met in round five, City defied the odds by forcing a 1-all draw against Souths.

The approach Cobcroft and her team-mates took in that game is one they'll use again.

"The last time we versed them they'd obviously come off that big win over Pat's, but we didn't think about that too much, which was good," the captain said.

"The good thing about us is that we just focus on the game in play, we don't worry about past results, we don't worry about our results or theirs, we just play what the game is in front of us.

"To our advantage, and Souths' advantage too, is because we've played against each other for so long and so regularly, we kind of know how their players play.

"We know how they play, we know their main players, we know their strengths, and we can use that to say 'Okay, these are the players we've got to mark up, these are the players we've got to get the ball around rather than through' all those sort of things."

Just as City players will have the motivation of a top four to spur them on this Saturday, Souths could move into second should it be able to win give St Pat's has the bye.

Saturday's game starts at 12.20pm at Bob Roach Field, with the men's clash between St Pat's and Lithgow Storm to follow at 1.50pm.

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