James' efforts in the front row for CSU were consistently strong across the season, working hard at the breakdown, hitting the line hard in attack and standing solid in defence.

She showed the experience that comes with six years of rugby, Coolah native James having played for Mudgee before joining CSU two seasons ago.

Naturally James was delighted with the award, but she thinks her team-mates and many of her rivals would have been just as deserving. She's seen just how much they have lifted the standard of women's rugby.

"When I first started playing around this area a lot of girls had never really played before, but this year the level of rugby, especially in the Mudgee games, was phenomenal," she said.

"What some of the girls came out with after playing a full season, even CSU by themselves, I put every one of them in front of me to get this award because they put in the biggest effort this year.

"It's been incredible to play alongside my girls and also play against other really, really great players."

As CSU charged to an undefeated minor premiership, plenty of points came from their fast and strong backs. But James and her fellow forwards were just as important to that streak and they also bagged their share of five-pointers.

"There isn't a single forward I'd put below the other, like we're such a strong pack in all ways. Like even though I know I'm not the fastest, some of the girls in our forward pack are ridiculously quick.

"Like breaking the line the way they do and scoring tries - it's incredible. Forwards scoring runaway tries - Gabby [Downing] and Rach [Brown] - all year they've been doing it, it's ridiculous."

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After winning the minor premiership by a huge 17-point margin and scoring a massive 578 points across the 11 games they ran out on to the field for, CSU faltered in the finals.

They lost the major semi-final to Narromine then fell to Mudgee in the preliminary final.

However, James sees a positive in that. She thinks it will help drive CSU come season 2022.

"It was quite hard mentally, I think that was our biggest challenge," she said of the finals.

"But I think that sets us up for next year, not expecting to win and knowing we have to work a bit harder."

A journalism student, James does intend to return to CSU's ranks next season and continue her association with a club she has plenty of passion for.

"It's been fantastic, the club, everyone gets around each other. I found even the boys get around the girls which is really rare for a club ... because we play a lot at the same fields on the weekend I think it has really bought us together," she said.

"Even if you're new, everyone gets really close, I've made a lot of friends through rugby. I will definitely be back next year."

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