Wellington broke Molong’s hearts in this year’s GrainCorp Cup Northern Division preliminary final but the Magpies will have their chance for redemption in the opening round of the 2019 competition, now named the Oilsplus Cup.
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Central West Rugby Union released the draws for next year’s Oilsplus Cup Northern and South-West Divisions on Friday morning, the former competition’s fixtures list revealing Molong will make a mouth-watering trip to Wellington’s Bicentennial Oval in round one.
It’s not the only huge game across the opening rounds of 2019 either, with Geurie welcoming the Redbacks for a grand final rematch the following week.
“Molong were pretty stung by bowing out in the semi-finals year, and they’ve already started their preparations off the field already,” Central West CEO Matt Tink said.
“I was at a meeting with Wellington in October, chatting with them they’re highly-motivated to go one better in 2019.
“This year’s grand final was incredibly well-attended, with cars lined up back to the Mitchell Highway trying to get into the Geurie Showground. That kind of interest shows just how important the Oilsplus Cup is to our community.
“This year the Oilsplus Cup was one of the hardest fought ever, and Canowindra coming into the competition should help provide even better, closer games.”
Tink’s referring to the Pythons’ shift from the South-West Division to the north, which gives both competitions eight teams.
The new-look South-West Division, also something of a throwback to yesteryear with Young and Boorowa’s inclusion, also boasts a plethora of massive games in the opening stages of 2019.
The Yabbies will make their return to Central West with a first-up trip to Grenfell, while the Goldies welcome Condobolin to Boorowa in the opening round.
Reigning champions Harden, who incredibly went from last to first in 12 months, face West Wyalong on the road first-up, while Temora welcomes Cootamundra.
The Tuskers will have to wait until round three to have a crack at flipping this year’s grand final result, when they host the Red Devils on April 27.
The second tier New Holland Agriculture Cup draw was released at the same time, with the Blayney Rams to travel to University Oval to face CSU Bathurst in the opening round.
Parkes and Narromine face-off in a rematch of this year’s grand final – which resulted in an epic, come-from-behind win for the Gorillas – in round two, but it’ll be at Northparkes Oval rather than Cale Oval.
All three competitions kick-off on April 6, with general byes for the Easter and June long weekends, with the NSW Country Rugby Union Championships at Tamworth during the latter.
The finals will be staggered again, with the Oilplus Cups’ regular seasons finishing a week before the New Holland Agriculture Cup’s.
The Blowes Clothing Cup draw, Tink said, is all but locked in but for a couple of confirmations and is expected to be released early next week.