A battle royale is looming in the Mid West Community Cup Grand Final this Saturday as both teams – Blackheath and Carcoar – are undefeated heading into the decider at Don Bradman Oval in the Blue Mountains.
The Mid West Community Cup is the longest continuously awarded trophy in Country Rugby League dating back to 1913.
Perhaps the Blackheath Blackcats having home-ground advantage might be the key to continuing their domination this season, which started with a first round 52-6 win over Wallerawang, and hasn’t stopped since.
The Carcoar Crows also come to the grand final without a loss to be formidable opponents in trying to prevent Blackheath winning back-to-back Community Cup titles.
Six games are scheduled for Saturday (26 October), involving every participating club in the Mid West competition, and culminating with the League Tag final between Blackheath and Rockley, and then the First Grade match between Blackheath and Carcoar.
Midwest games have attracted some big crowds this season with Kandos, Woodstock, Carcoar, Wallerawang and Portland all hosting to bring Rugby League to the smaller towns in the Mid West region.
Woodstock were welcomed back to competition in 2024 after a lengthy period without a team – the club famously winning the Mid West premiership in 1983 with former Parramatta Eels international Bob O’Reilly in their side.
The first men’s game starts at 12pm on Saturday between the Woodstock Panthers and Kandos Waratahs, followed at 1.15pm by Rockley and Portland in the third-place playoff match.
The First Grade final kicks off at 3.45pm.
Carcoar, despite also not having a team in the former Mid West regular season for nearly three decades, still hold the most number of Mid West Cup men’s titles with 13 over the more than 70 years of competition. But Blackheath are closing in quickly with 10.
The League Tag competition has brought together some fine teams, none more so than the undefeated Blackheath side.
Having lost last year’s grand final to Kandos Tiaratahs, the Blackcats are determined this year to make amends, but a well-performed Rockley stands in their way. The decider kicks off at 2.30pm.
The Kandos team returned to form last week with a win over Portland, and will bring confidence from that match to opening game of the day at 10am against Wallerawang. Then at 11am Carcoar takes on Portland.
