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The coach of the Mudgee Mudcrabs’ women’s open team hopes the side’s success at last weekend’s NSW Touch State Cup will be a sign of things to come in the future.
Ben Newsome could not be any prouder of his girls who performed above expectations at the three-day tournament at Port Macquarie.
Mudgee did not make the finals of their division but showed glimpses of brilliance that has Newsome excited about the future.
It has been several years – possibly a decade or more – since Mudgee had a team in the women’s open division at the State Cup.
“I could not have asked more from the girls. This is the foundation year for the [Mudcrabs] women’s open.”
- Mudcrabs' women's coach Ben Newsome
Newsome said the side had come a long way in the last six weeks.
They failed to win a game at the Country Championships in October but missed out on making the Bowl (B-grade) quarter-finals on the weekend by two points.
“I am extremely proud of them,” Newsome said.
“I knew they had potential and I think the girls realised that too. They have been training hard [since Country Championships] and I knew it was only a matter of time before the results came.”
And the results certainly did come.
Ranked 20th out of 31 teams, Mudgee went through day one of the competition undefeated.
Newsome said that was the highlight of the weekend.
“To win all our games on day one was a massive achievement,” he said.
“I could not have asked more from the girls. This is the foundation year for the [Mudcrabs] women’s open.”
With Sally Harris and Liz O’Brien added to the squad for the weekend, Mudgee had more experience and structure to their side.
It showed as they defeated Ballina Bull Sharks 5-1 before scraping pass UNSW Bullets 7-5 and Campbelltown Ghosts (2) 5-1 to sit on top of Pool H and qualify for the B-grade division.
Their unbeaten run continued on day two when they defeated Central Coast Dolphins 5-0 in the first game of Pool C for B-grade.
However, that was also the game things started to unravel for Mudgee.
Kim Sharp (thumb) and Harris (broken collarbone) succumbed to injuries, which meant Mudgee was down on troops.
They met Wallsend, who were captained by Mudgee product Bec Lang, in their second game and the Wolves touched them up 9-1.
In their do-or-die match against Manly Sea Eagles (2), the northern beaches unit won the match 3-0.
“Meeting the Vawdon Cup division one women premiers [Wallsend] and down on troops was always going to be difficult,” Newsome said.