TOUCH FOOTBALL
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The Mudgee Mudcrabs will make their first stop on the road to the State Cup with two teams contesting the NSW Touch Association’s Country Championships at Wollongong on the weekend.
Mudgee touch will have teams in the mixed open and women’s open divisions as they prepare for December’s State Cup.
Mudgee has had a mixed open team contest the past few Country Championships and State Cup tournaments but they have turned back the clock with the women’s side.
It has been several years since the Mudgee has featured in the women’s open division and coach Ben Newsome was not sugar-coating their chances.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be a challenge,” he said.
“We are playing against some tough teams.
“Our preparation has been short but we have had some good runs. This is all part of our long term goal, which is the State Cup.”
Mudgee have sent a women’s 20s team in recent years to events like the State Cup but the open division is a step above as it is faster, a higher standard of play and more teams participate.
“We’ve got quite a few locals and we shook the tree to see if there was anyone else interested.
“We’ve got Eliza Baddock coming back to play with us... I think the older girls like Payden [Lawson] and her sister Helena, they’re strong at link and Danielle [Wakely] as well.
“It’ll be interesting to see how it all comes together.”
Newsome’s girls are given a baptism of fire in the opening match when they take on hosts Wollongong.
It is unclear if it’s the Devils’ women’s premier league side that made the semi-finals of the Vawdon Cup – NSW Touch’s top weekly competition.
Mudgee also play against Taree Flames, Newcastle City 30s, Woden Eagles and Wallsend Wolves 30s in Pool A.
“It’s exciting thing for us to play against the best. We have had limited time to prepare but we will see how we go.”
The mixed open team will be looking to make at least the semi-finals after they reached the stage last year.
In 2012 they made the quarter-finals, last year it was the semi-finals and this year a spot in the final isn’t out of reach.
Mudgee open their account against Doyalson Dragons, followed by matches against Taree, Newcastle City and Goulburn Merinos.
MIXED OPEN: Grace Armstrong, Tom Armstrong, Courtney Auld, Belinda Bateman, Jess Burge, Jeremy Doherty, Justin Gossage, Sally Harris, Andrew Laurie, Nathan Orr, Mitch Squire, Matt Miles; coach: Justin Gossage.
WOMEN’S OPEN: Eliza Baddock, Kristy Bennetts, Zoe da Roza, Hannah Farronato, Rochelle Knihinicki, Helena Lawson, Payden Lawson, Vanessa McDonnell, Tianna Murkins, Kimberley Sharp, Danielle Wakely, Zoe Whitworth; coach: Ben Newsome.