The 2023 Peter McDonald Premiership is emerging into two separate sub-competitions after reaching the halfway point, following the June long weekend.
Mudgee Dragons and Bathurst St Pat's are the clear leaders in Group 10, while it appears Orange Hawks, Bathurst Panthers, and Lithgow Workies Wolves will fight it out for the remaining two places in the all-important top-four.
In contrast, Group 11 is open slather, with every team having a genuine chance of featuring in the post-season.
Dubbo CYMS has been the standout outfit, but nipping on their heels are Parkes Spacemen and Wellington Cowboys.
In a battle for the fourth and final position in the top-four, Nyngan, Macquarie, and reigning premiers Forbes will be fighting tooth and nail in the second half of the season.
Here at NSWRL, we have run our eyes over both competitions and offered insight into the seven rounds played and how the second half of the season might play out.
GROUP 10
MUDGEE DRAGONS
Position: 1st (12 points)
Run home: Nyngan Tigers (A), Dubbo CYMS (H), Lithgow Wolves (A), Orange CYMS (H), Bye, Orange Hawks (H), Bathurst St Pat's (A), Bathurst Panthers (A).
Standout result: A 26-18 win over reigning premiers Forbes in Round One set the tone for a good season, with Mudgee commencing their campaign with five consecutive victories.
Summary: Without a doubt, Mudgee has been the standout in Group 10, losing just one game in seven outings.
Still, coach Clay Priest won't be happy that his side gave up 42 points against Bathurst in their Round Six loss before a less than convincing 24-22 win over Bathurst Panthers in Round Seven.
BATHURST ST PAT'S
Position: 2nd (10 points)
Run home: Parkes Spacemen (H), Macquarie Raiders (A), Orange CYMS (H), Bathurst Panthers (A), Bye, Lithgow Wolves (H), Mudgee Dragons (H), Orange Hawks (A).
Standout result: Bathurst's 42-10 win over the ladder-leading Mudgee Dragons was a tremendous result.
Summary: St Pat's has been a different team since a shock 28-20 loss to Bathurst Panthers in Round Three.
They've won four on the trot and are easily the form side in Group 10 and the Peter McDonald Premiership.
Still, tough crossover matches against Parkes and Macquarie in the coming weeks will test their mettle.
ORANGE HAWKS
Position: 3rd (6 points)
Run home: Wellington Cowboys (H), Forbes Magpies (H), Bathurst Panthers (H), Lithgow Wolves (A), Bye, Mudgee Dragons (A), Orange CYMS (H), Bathurst St Pat's (H).
Standout result: Although a loss, the Hawks almost toppled Mudgee in Round Four, going down 20-18.
Summary: Hawks have been the most challenging team to get a read on in 2023.
They've matched it against Mudgee and registered three good wins. Bt the gap between their best and worst footy needs to improve if Alex Prout and his side want to be considered a competition threat.
BATHURST PANTHERS
Position: 4th (6 points)
Run home: Forbes Magpies (A), Wellington Cowboys (H), Orange Hawks (A), Bathurst St Pat's (H), Bye, Orange CYMS (H), Lithgow Wolves (A), Mudgee Dragons (H).
Standout result: The Panthers' season highlight is a 28-20 win over arch-rivals St Pat's in a wet and wild game in Round Three.
Summary: Panthers are slowly improving, and with wins over St Pat's, Orange CYMS, Lithgow Wolves, and close losses to Mudgee Dragons and Orange Hawks, the potential is there to make finals.
LITHGOW WOLVES
Position: 5th (2 points)
Run home: Macquarie Raiders (H), Parkes Spacemen (A), Mudgee Dragons (H), Orange Hawks (H), Bye, Bathurst St Pat's (A), Bathurst Panthers (H), Orange CYMS (A).
Standout result: Although not a win, Lithgow will take confidence out of their 20-12 loss to the Cowboys in Wellington earlier this season.
Summary: Lithgow put a run of six losses behind them in Round Seven with a significant 34-22 win over Orange CYMS at Tony Luchetti Sportsground.
Jack Sullivan and his coaching committee have done a great job in getting a young group up and running, and there is a feeling amongst the players and club that there are more wins in store.
ORANGE CYMS
Position: 6th (0 points)
Run home: Dubbo CYMS (A), Nyngan Tigers (H), Bathurst St Pat's (A), Mudgee Dragons (A), Bye, Bathurst Panthers (H), Orange Hawks (A), Lithgow Wolves (H).
Standout result: A 34-18 loss to the ladder-leading Mudgee Dragons is Orange's best result to show CYMS has the potential.
Summary: Going through the first half of any season winless is never good, but the CYMS have been turning up, and when Ethan McKellar's men finally put a full 80-minute game together, they'll give any team in the competition a run for their money.
GROUP 11
DUBBO CYMS
Position: 1st (12 points)
Run home: Orange CYMS (H), Mudgee Dragons (A), Macquarie Raiders (H), Wellington Cowboys (A), Parkes Spacemen (H), Bye, Forbes Magpies (H), Nyngan Tigers (A).
Standout result: CYMS put on a Round Six clinic with a 54-6 victory over Nyngan Tigers.
Summary: Across both competitions, Dubbo CYMS is the team to beat.
Their only loss to date arrived in Round Four, and it was a tough road trip to Parkes when losing 40-28.
Outside of that result, they have been excellent, enjoying a 60-nil win over Bathurst Panthers on top of decisive victories over Lithgow (42-8), Wellington (32-14), and Macquarie Raiders (20-4).
The CYMS have a target on their back, but they proudly wear it.
PARKES SPACEMEN
Position: 2nd (10 points)
Run home: Bathurst St Pat's (A), Lithgow Wolves (H), Wellington Cowboys (A), Nyngan Tigers (H), Dubbo CYMS (A) Bye, Macquarie Raiders (H), Forbes Magpies (A).
Standout result: Their 40-28 win over Dubbo CYMS was highly entertaining.
Summary: Parkes were looking great until their shock 22-6 loss to Macquarie Raiders in Round Seven.
The Spacemen are the only outfit to beat Dubbo CYMS, and in crossover matches, they were too good for likely Group 10 finalists Orange Hawks and Bathurst Panthers.
WELLINGTON COWBOYS
Position: 3rd (8 points)
Run home: Nyngan Tigers (A), Orange Hawks (A), Bathurst Panthers (A), Parkes Spacemen (H), Dubbo CYMS (H), Forbes Magpies (A), Bye, Nyngan Tigers (H), Macquarie Raiders (A).
Standout result: A gutsy 18-16 win over Group 10 powerhouse Bathurst St Pat's signalled the dawn of a new era in Wellington.
Summary: A game behind, Wellington sits third on the ladder and looms as the competition's dark horse.
They knocked over Bathurst St Pat's in an early crossover game, accounted for reigning premiers Forbes with a big 24-14 win in Round Four, and pushed Parkes Spacemen and Dubbo CYMS in both outings before eventually going down.
NYNGAN TIGERS
Position: 4th (6 points)
Run home: Wellington Cowboys (H), Mudgee Dragons (H), Orange CYMS (A), Forbes Magpies (A), Parkes Spacemen (A), Macquarie Raiders (H), Bye, Wellington Cowboys (A), Dubbo CYMS (H).
Standout result: Their 32-28 win over Parkes Spacemen in Round Three is a season highlight.
Summary: Nyngan has been hot and cold.
Following a one-point loss to the robust Bathurst St Pat's side in their season opener, Nyngan strung three consecutive wins together, defeating Orange Hawks 40-12, Parkes Spacemen 32-28, and Macquarie Raiders 26-18.
Since then, they have fallen to Forbes and Dubbo CYMS.
The Tigers are a game behind, but Sunday's home game against the Wellington Cowboys could prove critical to the end-of-season Group 11 ladder.
DUBBO MACQUARIE RAIDERS
Position: 5th (5 points)
Run home: Lithgow Wolves (A), Bathurst St Pat's (H), Dubbo CYMS (A), Forbes Magpies (H), Nyngan Tigers (A), Bye, Parkes Spacemen (A), Wellington Cowboys (H).
Standout result: A 22-6 win over Parkes Spacemen in Round Seven signalled what could be a good run home for the Dubbo side.
Summary: The Raiders are probably better than their fifth position indicates.
They just fell to the Group 10-leading Mudgee Dragons 24-22 in Round Two, drew with reigning premiers Forbes 14-all in Round Three, and went within eight points of Nyngan, 16 of Dubbo CYMS, and four of Wellington in a tough three-game stretch.
If Alex Ronayne and his men can turn some of those losses into wins, they can have a late-season run.
FORBES MAGPIES
Position: 6th (5 points)
Run home: Bathurst Panthers (H), Orange Hawks (A), Nyngan Tigers (H), Macquarie Raiders (A), Wellington Cowboys (H), Bye, Dubbo CYMS (A), Parkes Spacemen (H).
Standout result: A 40-12 win over Orange CYMS in Round Two suggests plenty of points in this Forbes line-up.
Summary: It's surprising to see the reigning premiers in last position after seven rounds.
Like the Raiders, their position isn't as bad as it looks.
They beat Nyngan 30-20 in Round Five, and a last-start 24-20 loss to the Dubbo CYMS indicates that the Magpies are ready to spread their wings in the back half of the Peter McDonald Premiership.
