Mudgee will host the best bush footy players in the state when the Country Rugby League (CRL) Championships finals are played at Glen Willow Stadium in June next year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This is the first time Mudgee will host CRL’s premier event.
Mudgee Dragons’ secretary Kathy Lang said the club was excited to be given the honour.
“CRL asked us if we would be prepared to host it and of course we said ‘yes’,” Lang said.
“The more tournaments we can get utilising the facility the better.”
There will be four games played on finals day, which will be on Saturday, June 20.
The two best sides in the under 16s, under 18s, tier two and tier one will feature.
Western played in the under 16s final this year.
The Rams will be hoping to capitalise on the home field advantage by progressing to the final of the under 16s, under 18s and tier two competitions.
Tier one will consist of teams from Newcastle, Central Coast, Canberra, Illawarra and the winner of the play-off between Southern and North Coast.
In tier two with the Rams will be Northern Rivers, Greater Northern Tigers, Riverina and the loser of the play-off.
Western Division are lucky to possibly play two matches in their own backyard.
Prior to the finals in Mudgee, the Rams will begin their qualification at Bathurst’s Carrington Park on May 30 against the Tigers.
This will be the first time since 2007 Western have played a CRL Championship match at home.
The last occasion was when they defeated Northern Rivers 42-20 at Mudgee’s Jubilee Oval.
Former Dragon Matt Kurtz played in that game, as did Bathurst’s Group 10 premiership-winning captain Dave Elvy and they were coached by the late Dave Scott.
CRL Western regional manager Peter Clarke said it was a terrific opportunity for the region to be handed not only a preliminary round match but also the finals.
“The best of the best in the bush will be on show,” Clarke said.
“It has been a long time for the region.”
For Western to make the finals they will have to beat the Tigers then win their semi-final match.
Group 10 secretary Peter McDonald, who was at the CRL board meeting when it was announced Mudgee would host the finals, hopes Western can capitalise on home field advantage.
“They’ve certainly got a big foot in the door for the first game,” McDonald said about playing at Bathurst on May 30.
“We’ve been travelling for the last few years and it’s good to be playing at home.”
With the City-Country Origin match held in the Western region twice in the past three seasons, and Mudgee and Bathurst hosting NRL matches in the past two years, the Central West has become a hotbed for top quality matches.
“To have any major country games is a boost for the area,” McDonald said.
“It just shows that the area is a stronghold for rugby league.”
Western Rams were eliminated by Greater Northern Tigers in June when the Tigers scored a 75th minute try to win the game 12-6.
The under 18s Rams fell one game short of the final but the under 16 were beaten 34-6 in the final by the Tigers.
