The Parkes team defeated the Narromine Gorillas Rugby club side in the final.

Parkes Captain Josh Miles said the team enjoyed the off-season hit out immensely.

“We got a group of friends together, a few Fijian boys and a few others from Parkes and we just looked at the tournament as a bit of fun really,” he said.

“We played a sevens tournament in Mudgee a week ago and then this beach event, so it as a bit of fun, but also a good way to the keep the group together in the off-season.”

The Boars did come to the Dubbo sand with some tactics in mind though.

“Our approach was to throw the ball around and play as close to a touch rugby style as we could,” Miles said.

“But our main tactic was to have fun, we thought if we enjoyed ourselves as much as we could that would be a good result, and the event was a lot of fun.”

All fun was put aside though when the team fronted up for the final.

“We are a competitive lot, so once we made the final we thought we had a good chance of winning it, we are a good side,” Miles said. 

“It was a good final against Narromine; I got sent off for making a dangerous tackle, so we were playing for two minutes with only four men, that was a good achievement to stay in the game when we were playing short.

“There were many good teams in the tournament and it’s great we were lucky enough to finish with the prize.”

He said the player of the tournament was their winger Nathan Lagilagi.

“He is one of our Fijian boys and he scored a few tries during the event. Another standout player for us was Rusi Lawanikula who is Nathan’s brother in law,” Miles said.

The 2018 soccer season may have finished up just a couple of months ago. 

But already the Western NSW Mariners FC Women’s sides are gearing up for the 2019 season.

Aimee Longhurst flew the flag for Dubbo when lining up for the Mariners under 14s last season. 

But there is the opportunity for more to join her in Western NSW colours with trials on this weekend.

The trials for the girls/women’s Western Mariners side will be held on Sunday at Bathurst’s Police Paddock from 10am. 

With a second trial held at Jack Brabham Park in Orange on Wednesday, November 7 at 6.15pm. 

The Mariners currently play in the National Premier League 2, which is the second highest level of soccer in NSW, and compete against teams such as Apia Leichardt, Central Coast Mariners, Inter Lions and Nepean. 

Western NSW Mariners Women’s Coaching and Development Manager, Glenn Stedman, is eager to see more players get involved and give themselves a chance to further their development.

“From here there’s the chance for players to potentially move into the (Football NSW) Institute team and have a crack in NPL1. 

Our 15s goalkeeper Lily Smith from Mudgee, will move to Sydney at the end of the year and will line up for Blacktown Spartans in NPL1 in 2019,” he said.

“Mariners 15s striker Anna Hunt from Grenfell played for the Junior Matildas in September and she scored two goals for her nation. She is an outstanding talent.”

There is proof the pathway from the western area to the top works. 

Cowra junior Ellie Carpenter is a Matildas regular right now while Dubbo sisters Ashleigh Sykes and Nicole Begg (nee Sykes) both represented their country and won W-League titles.

As well as that, Lyndsay Glohe and Karina Roweth have reached high levels while Erica Halloway is 33 and is currently playing for Western Sydney.

“Our under 15s coach Jasmin Courtenay also has W-League experience having played with the Newcastle Jets and the knowledge she was able to pass on to her team and to her team mates in first grade proved invaluable,” Stedman said.

In 2019 the Mariners will field teams in the under 14s, 15s, 17s, reserve grade, and first grade.

More information can be found at the ‘Western NSW Mariners Women’ Facebook page or by calling Glenn Stedman on 0400 975 740.

Winning on a horse part owned by her parents was a big thrill for 19-year-old Ashleigh Stanley at Mudgee Race Club’s non-TAB meeting on Saturday.

An apprentice jockey at the Bathurst stables of her father, Peter, Ashleigh Stanley was responsible for an outstanding ride on four-year-old The Long Run in the Asquith Bowling Club Maiden Plate (1100m). 

The are is part-owned by Peter and Melissa Eassie.

Away quickly from the outside barrier, The Long Run took the early lead  before Ashleigh Stanley chose to take a trail behind Alwaajid.

Hugging the inside rail down the long Mudgee straight, The Long Run ($3.20 favourite) won by a short-half head in an exciting finish. 

She edged out Ligny (Jamie Gibbons, $6) with the third-placed Fleur De Force (Ken Dunbar, $4) three lengths further back.

Ashleigh Stanley has now ridden five winners in her career.

Trained at Mudgee by David Smith and raced by Tony Rayner and John Fleming, $15 outsider The Scotsman won the opening event, the Happy 90th Birthday David Lester Maiden Plate (1100m).

Coming from off the pace, The Scotsman (Andrew Banks) accounted for Gerrylarose (Tony Cavallo, $2.30 favourite) and Duntroon Man (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $3.60).

Andrew Banks completed a winning double when Sugar Lane ($4.20) responded to strong riding to wear down Shake Off (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $2.60 fav.) and Chevaria (Tiffany Jeffries, $3.60) in the Bernie & Lamondo Memorial Benchmark 50 Handicap (1400m).

Sugar Lane is owned by Bryan Dixon and is being trained at Gilgandra by Collen Thurston while Dixon is serving a suspension.

Bryan Dixon and Collen Thurston also finished second with Dizzy Spell in the 1600 metres Oak Tree Retirement Village BM 50 Handicap.

Finishing well from midfield the Connie Greig, Dubbo trained Malibu Stacy (Adrian Robinson, $9) was another winner.