Having spent more than a decade at the helm of Group 10, it is no great surprise that Zamparini is proud of what has been achieved in his competition.

That's why, even though the way competitions are run in Western Division is evolving, Zamparini wants Group 10 to keep its identity.

That's why this season, even though Group 10s first grade and under 18 sides are now part of Western premierships, player of the year awards will be maintained across all grades.

"We've got to keep our identity and show faith wherever we can, particularly to the players. Everyone has got their Group 10 heritage so we want to keep everyone in the loop," the Group 10 chairman said.

"We'll be doing everything the same as we've done in the past.

"So we've got to keep our identity and if we can get players to focus that way it will be a lot easier to keep it too.

"Particularly with under 18s because they're our future seniors, they're the ones you've got to nurture and get behind them. There are some good players in there."

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While the Peter McDonald Premiership and Western under 18s - competitions involving Group 10 and Group 11 clubs - will still hand out their own specific awards, Group 10 will acknowledge its best as well.

Group 10s league tag, reserve grade, under 18s and first grade players of the year and leading point scorers will be revealed at a presentation evening on August 26 at Bathurst Panthers.

Before the best and fairest vote counts went behind closed doors in early June, players from Bathurst clubs featured highly.

In first grade it was Bathurst Panthers playmaker Willie Wright and St Pat's hooker Hayden Bolam that topped the count.

It was another Bathurst Panthers half that led the way in the under 18s best and fairest in Jackson Carter. The star number seven sat just ahead of Lithgow's Tallon Egan and Cowra's Micky McNamara.

Orange Hawks captain Bec Ford topped the league tag vote count ahead of St Pat's talent Lilly Booth and Panthers skipper Jess Hotham.

In reserve grade Blayney's Aiden Nunn had polled the most votes, with Bathurst Panthers veteran Jarrod Gaffa one vote back in second.

"We certainly do have a lot of talent, if they get a few injuries in first grade there's plenty of blokes they can put up and cover it, which is good," Zamparini said.

This weekend is the last chance for players to earn best and fairest points with the Peter McDonald Premiership, Western 18s, Group 10 league tag and Group 10 reserve grade competitions staging their final rounds.

Just as Zamparini is eager to acknowledge Group 10's best individual performers, he's hoping that he will be able to praise four Group 10 teams for winning premierships.

Naturally he'll have league tag and reserve grade title holders to talk about, but Zamparini would dearly love an 18s crown and most of all, for a Group 10 side to win the inaugural Peter McDonald Premiership.

"First grade is going to be tough, Orange CYMS and the Mudgee Dragons are certainly flying the flag on this end, St Pat's are up there as well," he said.

"There's any number of ways it could happen because when we start the finals the first place in Group 10 will play second place in Group 11 and first place in Group 11 will play second in Group 10 and they get two goes at it. For everyone else it's do or die.

"You never know, anyone on their day can certainly go on and win it. I don't care what club wins it, as long as it's a Group 10 club, that would be great.

"Ace McDonald, he did a tremendous job with Cowra and Group 10 and Western Division, he's well know in Group 10 and equally well known in Group 11.

"They're all paying tribute to him, but we'd like nothing more than to bring the cup home for him."

As it stands Mudgee, Orange CYMS and St Pat's fill three of the four spots allocated to Group 10 clubs for the Peter McDonald Premierships finals series, with Bathurst Panthers and Orange Hawks in contention for the other.

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