This Saturday, Parkes will play host to a jam packed day of Junior Rugby League with fourteen finals being played across Pioneer and North Parkes Ovals. The Parkes Marist Rugby League Club will have four teams playing on the day, including U11 league tag, U14 league tag, U16 boys league and U17 league tag.

The following 14 games are scheduled to be played: 

North Parkes Oval 

• 10’s Forbes v Condobolin

• 10’s Grenfell v West Wyalong

• 11’s tag Red Bend v Parkes White 

• 11’s West Wyalong v Grenfell

Pioneer Oval

• 12’s Canowindra v Cabonne

• 12’s Forbes Black v Forbes White

• 14’s tag West Wyalong v Canowindra

• 14’s tag Red Bend Sky v Parkes Blue

• 14’s West Wyalong v Canowindra

• 14’s Forbes v Condobolin

• 17’s tag Canowindra v Grenfell

• 17’s tag Parkes White v Forbes Black

• 16’s West Wyalong v Cabonne

• 16’s Parkes White v Red Bend

Under 17s League Tag

The Parkes U17s League Tag girls did not play last week as they had already earned their place in the grand final and will go up against Forbes White this weekend. 

Coach Deanne Hanson said, “I could not be any prouder of the girls and hope they are proud of themselves. The team have showed so much commitment all year.”

Star player, Elizabeth Macgregor said, “I feel like we have good players across the whole field, there’s not really anyone who lets us down, everyone’s tagging is strong and has definitely improved throughout the year. 

“I feel like we are definitely the stronger team in the comp, we’ve won every game and averaged 40 points a game, our for and against is crazy, we scored 390 points this year and have only had 28 points scored against us.”

Grace Milne, who won a premiership last year with the U14 girls said that she will be focusing on, “Getting myself involved in defense, holding a strong defensive line, just doing what I do every week, setting up plays.”

Under 16s League Tackle

The under 16’s boys have been training hard this week ahead of Sunday’s big clash against Red Bend 16’s boys. Under 16’s coach, Jason O’Bryan was coach of the under 14’s boys last year, and when half of them moved up to Under 16’s this year Jason also made the move up as coach. 

At training on Tuesday night, Jason said, “Our game plan from last year is very similar to this year, so with half of them already knowing it, it has made it a lot easier to bring the other guys in to the same pattern of play.” Jason went on to say, the boys are busting to get out on the paddock, “We are doing it as a team, but also we want to send off Captain Jack Milne with a grand final win, he has led by example all year.”

Let’s get as many Magpies supporters as early as possible over on Magpie Hill on Sunday at Pioneer Oval, Parkes. The League tag side and Under 18’s side head into round two of finals. Can’t wait to see you all there to cheer them on.

Coming off the back of a good win against Wellington Cowboys last week, 36-26, the Parkes Spacemen have been busy preparing for this weekend’s elimination semi final against Dubbo Cyms in Dubbo. 

Parkes Spacemen First Grade Captain Coach Chad Porter said, “Last week against Wellington we started strong and obviously we have to do the same thing with Dubbo Cyms. They are fit, we just need to match it with them, and if we can play like we did in the first 20 minutes of last weeks game, then that will help us win the game. 

“All the boys are keen and our game plan is to just get our structures right, get to where we need to be and play our type of footy. Then hopefully into the Grand Final, if we can knock Cyms over this weekend.”

The Spacemen have faced Dubbo Cyms twice this year already, as it stands each have won a game. “We have beaten Cyms at home once this year so we can definitely beat them,” said Chad.

Chad assures us that it will be all hands on deck this week, pending the fate of one player, everyone is fit and healthy and ready to go. The other elimination final match being played this weekend is Mudgee v Orange and the winner of that match, will play the winner from this weekend’s match Parkes v Dubbo, in the Grand Final.

Organise a car or a bus, load up with supporters and get across to Dubbo to cheer on the Spacemen this Sunday and help them across the line.