The Parkes Spacecats will head to Dubbo this Sunday hoping to go one better than last year when they were thwarted by the very classy Dubbo Westside in the inaugural Group X1 Leaguetag Competition.
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On that occasion it was Dubbo girl Caitlyn Mason who carved the Parkes girls up.
Ironically, two weeks ago, it was Caityln who proved to be the difference between Parkes and Dubbo, scoring all of Dubbo’s 7 points and proving a handful for the Spacecats in the middle of the park.
Proudly, Caitlyn explained after the game that she attributes her talent to that of her grandfather who hailed from Goodooga where the Mason name is synonymous with Rugby League in that area.
Like Caitlyn, three of Parkes’ Spacecats can boast similar rugby league genes.
Ella-Jay Harris is the daughter of Will [and Jenny] Harris and has certainly inherited her father’s talent, proving to be one of Parkes’s best players throughout the season.
Will played Rugby League in Sydney with Parramatta before coming to Parkes as a Primary School teacher.
His track record for the Spacemen was strong without securing a premiership, his closest call being when he coached the Spacemen when they were beaten in controversial circumstances by Dubbo Cyms in the 2009 Grand Final.
Ella’s brother Keaton played in that talented 2009 side.
But in 1989, Will captain coached the Peak Hill side to a Group X1 second division Premiership, with a team that boasted a lot of talent.
While Ella-Jay is a very determined and self-motivated person, I’m sure there will be a burning desire for her to try and help claim a victory over Cyms on Sunday for her dad to in some way erase the disappointment of him being robbed of victory in 2009.
The other Parkes lass who can hold her head high on Sunday is 15 year old Emeline Lavaka, the daughter of Parkes “warhorse” Heamani Lavaka [and Deidre Bennett].
Emeline is the youngest of the Spacecats and has been a great contributor to the great season her team has enjoyed.
She is the apple of her dad’s eye and win lose or draw there will be no prouder man at Caltex Park on Sunday than him.
Hare is better known for his Rugby background where he has represented his native Tonga but who could ever forget his involvement in the Spacemen’s 2010 victory over Wellington when he absolutely leveled Paul Black in a totally legal tackle which proved to be the turning point in the game.
It is noteworthy that key player Codie Wakefield is the granddaughter of arguably one of the greatest Spacemen of all, Laurie Wakefield.
Laurie had a distinguished career which started and ended in Parkes.
In 1970 he played for Western Division against Britain, for country against New Zealand before joining Parramatta midway through that season.
Laurie then captain-coached Manildra to a premiership before returning to play for his beloved Spacemen.
Like Dubbo Cyms, Parkes boasts a team of very talented sportswomen and on Sunday, those who attend the grand final at Caltex Park will be treated to a great spectacle between two sides that have certainly lifted the profile of women playing Rugby League in this area.
