Rugby Wrap: Central West stars get call-up for NSW Country

The final squads for the Australian Shield were revealed on Wednesday, July 30.

Country stalwarts Filisone Pauta (Geurie Goats) and Tim Beach (Dubbo Kangaroos) were the only players to make the Cockatoos squad, coached by former Bathurst Bulldogs mentor Dean Oxley, managed by Bulldogs' Matt Waterford and with another Bulldog in Al Fryer as trainer.

The Corellas squad has four Central West representatives - Danielle Plummer (Dubbo), Madi Barclay George (Parkes Boars), Holly Jones, Tam McGregor and Shae Mansfield (all Orange City).

Colts had by far the most with 10 selections - Xavier Gosewisch (Orange Emus), Paddy Cant (Bathurst Bulldogs), Rhys Hughes (Cowra Eagles), Harry Kukla (Orange City), Malakai Folau (Parkes Boars), Simon Uliano (Cowra Eagles), Zane Wisby (Mudgee Wombats), Jacob Hill (Bathurst Bulldogs), Tom Gray (Bathurst Bulldogs) and Rory Sullivan (Bathurst Bulldogs).

The shield will be played in October at Newcastle.

One of Dubbo Roolettes' best players has stood up when it matters most, scoring all of her side's points in a statement win.

Alahna Ryan scored three tries and kicked two goals as Dubbo got some payback for their round seven loss to the Lionesses, winning 19-5 at Victoria Park.

In doing so they reclaimed top spot and placed one hand on the minor premiership.

All three meetings between the two top sides have been hard fought with a major semi-final rematch looming on the horizon.

The Ferguson Cup top four has been all but locked in for a while with a 10-point gap between fourth-placed Orange Emus and fifth-placed Cowra Eagles.

Bathurst Bulldogs will play Emus in the minor semi-final.

If the Ferguson Cup looks relatively straightforward, the same can't be said of the Blowes Cup, which is shaping up as the most unpredictable yet.

Bulldogs have dominated the last three seasons and while Emus definitely posed a threat, they often did so alone.

Not in 2025.

While Dubbo Kangaroos remain favourites for the minor premiership after a near faultless campaign, how the finals series plays out is anyone's guess.

Roos were run close at home by the Lions 40-33, two weeks after Bathurst knocked them off for their first loss of the season.

Bulldogs themselves travelled to Endeavour Oval on the back of a mid-year resurgence but ran into an Emus side who again showed why they are the real deal in 2025, brushing aside the visitors 40-7.

Cowra have dipped of late after earlier in the season defeating Bathurst and Emus but showed their attacking skills in a 58-7 demolition of Forbes Platypi.

It's growing increasingly clear anyone can beat anyone - making for just the kind of finals series we want.

But just who will make the cut is also unclear with third-placed Cowra and fifth-placed City separated by just five points or a bonus point win.

Dubbo will finish first, barring a late-season collapse, while Emus look to be stuck in second, 10 points behind the Roos and 12 points above the Eagles.

Last week saw no less than three minor premiers announced and another followed on Saturday, July 26, as Boorowa Goldies clinched top spot in the South West Fuels Cup.

Their 26-5 win against second-placed Harden Red Devils secured the silverware and set up an intriguing major semi-final clash against the same opposition on August 9.

Boorowa have been the competition standard-bearers for the past two seasons but lost the 2024 grand final in agonising circumstances, a two-point loss to Young Yabbies.