Tigers clinch minor premiership, a hat-trick on debut and one of the best teams to watch once again refuse to give up.
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Here's what happened around the grounds in Round 13 of the Peter McDonald Premiership as the Group 10 clubs went at it.
Mudgee rock Tiger stripes
Mudgee has long been one of the most successful clubs in Group 10.
The Dragons dominated in the early 2000s, won a title in 2009 and then backed it up with another grand final appearance in 2010. Won a title in 2016 too.
![Group 10 minor premiers Mudgee in their commemorative Mudgee Tigers jerseys. Picture by Mudgee Dragons Facebook page Group 10 minor premiers Mudgee in their commemorative Mudgee Tigers jerseys. Picture by Mudgee Dragons Facebook page](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131358433/76d1c606-7b8b-4620-a238-e30953000791.jpg/r0_310_1440_1081_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And of course there was the extra-time decider epic the Dragons went down in against Panthers in 2019.
As long as the Dragons have been in the competition, they've been there or thereabouts. On Saturday at Glen Willow, the club etched another successful chapter into the club's history books on the back of a 40-16 victory over Hawks.
That 24-point win wrapped up the Group 10 minor premiership for the Dragons.It's a just reward for easily the best side in the eastern pool of this brave, new Peter McDonald Premiership world we're only really just now dipping our toes into the water in.But the next step awaits this year's Dragons juggernaut.
Can Clay Priest and the Dragons take the next step and assume the crown of kings of the Western division?
Much like Forbes in 2022, Mudgee is as proud a small-town team as there is in the region. And richly successful, too, much like the Forbes club. On Saturday, that rich history was on show too when the club honoured its 1973 premiership winning team - the Mudgee Tigers.
That team triumphed in the old Group 14 competition, a fair while before the club eventually switched to Group 10.
It looks as though everywhere the Mudgee boys go, they win.
So it would take a very brave man - even considering how good the Dubbo CYMS team has been in Group 11 this season - to tip against the Dragons going all the way in 2023, just like those old Tiges did half a century ago.
Haydn's dream debut
Bad day to be a CYMS fan. Great day to be Haydn Edwards.
The Bathurst Panthers teenager scored three tries as his side whipped CYMS 66-6 at Wade Park on Sunday.
The young man looked right at home on the wing, showing all the composure of a 100-game veteran.
![Haydn Edwards goes over against Orange CYMS. Picture by Jude Keogh Haydn Edwards goes over against Orange CYMS. Picture by Jude Keogh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131358433/fd00967a-a070-48f8-8137-1a1d94e3cc93.JPG/r0_422_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Great atmosphere as Saints and Bears recall a classic
There was just as much emphasis on the reserve grade game as there was on the Peter McDonald Premiership clash on Saturday at Jack Arrow Sporting Complex.
That's because Pat's used the day to mark 20 years since their reserve grade side's 18-16 grand final win over the Blayney Bears in the 2003 finale at Jubilee Oval.
It also marked a chance to remember the life of popular local league identity Dave Scott, the man of the match from that game two decades ago, who died four years after the premiership success.
The club had gathered pictures, lineups and match reports from the day for everyone to take a glance at by the bar, and they proved to be great conversation starters.
Those celebrations also meant there were plenty of people on hand to take part in PMP first tryscorer bidding at the clubhouse.
Participants enthusiastically threw their bids out, with some getting up to triple figures.
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