First it was former Premiership Captain Jake Grace and now former Magpies enforcer, Ben Robinson has returned to the fold for a crack at the new competition in 2022 with Forbes. From all reports, the Magpies signing spree isn’t finished just yet either as excitement builds for the new season!

Last March, after consultation, the NSWRL announced its plans to provide new opportunities for clubs in Groups 10 and 11 which would set Western NSW up for success for generations to come. The new competition will also provide weekly acid tests for Forbes footballers.

Group 10 includes clubs from Bathurst, Blayney, Cowra, Lithgow, Mudgee and Orange, while Group 11 includes clubs from Dubbo, Forbes, Narromine, Nyngan, Parkes and Wellington. Whereas previously neighbours like Forbes and Cowra or Mudgee and Wellington only played once a year, this is all about to change.

The revamped format includes:

• A first-past-the-post system and silverware for both the top clubs from Group 10 and Group 11 to preserve history and uphold traditional conferences;

• a minimum of four crossover games between Group 10 against Group 11 teams with travel to be minimised;

• the top four teams from Group 10 and Group 11 to advance to a play-off series involving eight teams who will all vie for the Western Premiership;

• the Western Premiership winner to take part in the end-of-season two-week Presidents Cup competition to determine the State Champion for 2022.

• The new competition in 2022 will run from April to September. If the Magpies continue on this trajectory with key signings, they may well be swooping at the start of Spring.

KICKING OFF IN 2022: Forbes Swampies Junior AFL are calling for more players in juniors and females to ensure 2022 is the biggest year for the club yet.

Forbes Junior AFL’s Big 2022 Plans

2022 will not only see more Forbes juniors playing in AFL but there will also be a bigger emphasis on female participants. Under 14s is currently the cut off for mixed teams with young girls playing in the 15-17 years age bracket. Women’s AFL is the fastest growing sport in Australia and a great way to meet people and stay fit! Check out Forbes Junior AFL Club on Facebook for more details!

Croquet Celebrates 2021

The Forbes Croquet Club recently had their presentation and awards day for their members.
Golf Croquet: Men’s 1st Mal Smith,Runner up Kevin Rubie; Ladies 1st ElvyQuirk, Runner up Joan Littlejohn;
Aussie Croquet: Men’s 1st JohnBrowne, Runner up Kevin Rubie; Ladies 1st Elvy Quirk, Runner up ColleenLiebich;
Encouragement Awards: Ray Burridge,John Farah, Merv Langfield, Neville Spryand Cheryle Toohey.
Well done all!

Forbes Fins

The Forbes Fins are busy with the Canowindra Swimming Carnival on Sunday January 30th (check the Canowindra Swimming Club Facebook page for COVID updates) and the Quandialla Swimming Carnival on Saturday February 19th. It promises to be a great end to the swim season and hopefully with no more disruptions.

New League Season Will Be Special

The new merged competitions this year promise to create a lot of interest in country rugby league. Whereas previously we would never see Forbes v Bathurst or Orange outside a pre-season trial, we now get a chance to see where the real strength in the region lies. It should make for a cracking season and already Forbes players are training hard after two years of disruptions.

GROUP MERGER TALK: Group 11 and 10 have been having ongoing discussions regarding a proposed merged group in a bid to make competition stronger and games more competitive. Players like Charlie Staines (pictured) have benefited from strong group competition however a new league would help junior players immeasurably. Pic courtesy of NRL.com

The Forbes Magpies are gearing up for a big 2022 season with coaches and signings named over the past week as well as discussion surrounding the inevitability that Group 11 and 10 may come together sooner rather than later.

Former Forbes Magpies premiership winning captain Jake Grace is set to return as well as “95 per cent of talent from 2021” and the addition of kiwi stars Dawson Nanai and Alvin Maungaati (both Ron Massey Cup players with Western Suburbs Magpies) also joining the Forbes Magpie nest suddenly makes 2022 look vastly different.

Both Nanai and Maungaati are currently contracted playing European rugby and will finish there before they return to Australia for the new league season.

In other news, the club looks in great hands for the new year with Cameron Greenhalgh at the helm for first grade while Andrew Burton will take charge of reserves and Ben Godden the 18s. Brad McMillan will take the U21s in a pre-season comp and Jared Demaniel will look after the ladies league tag squad.

While the club has been on the front foot with coaching appointments and signings and securing the future, talk over the past few weeks has centred around a combined competition between neighbouring Group 10 with Group 11. It is a concept the club has supported before in the right format and inevitably will be the preferred option to give the 18s and first grade more competition.

Games against Bathurst, Blayney and Orange would happen more regularly and the Magpies remain keen on the idea. Both groups remain a strong rugby league nursery for the NRL with players such as Joel Thompson, Charlie Staines, Matt Burton, Isaah Yeo and many more all coming from the region. It can only help the game in the bush.

NRL PREMIERS 2021: The winning Penrith Panthers NRL premiership winning squad were on hand in Penrith on Saturday to celebrate the club’s third premiership with fans. Forbes Charlie Staines (standing third from left) was a part of the special day that saw the victory bus tour go through Penrith all the way to BlueBet Stadium. Pic courtesy of NRL.com

The Penrith Panthers premiership parade was held last weekend with Nathan Cleary, Charlie Staines and co. taking a double-decker open top bus through Penrith to a packed BlueBet Panthers Stadium where they were given the keys to the city by Penrith City Mayor Karen McKeown OAM.

There are also plans for Western Division fans to get in on the action with a similar celebration penciled in for Bathurst in January however dates and times as well as location are yet to be confirmed.

The Panthers celebrations had to be put on ice initially after COVID lockdowns and restrictions across NSW not being lifted until November 1. Yet despite this, thousands turned out along the streets of Penrith and at the heartland for a slice of the action and to commemorate the clubs third premiership. Among them was Forbes local Charlie Staines, who played an instrumental part in Penrith’s success over the past two years. Now with a premiership to his name, 2022 promises to be a big one not just for the club but him as well.

After scoring four tries on debut in Round 9 last year against the Cronulla Sharks, Staines, 21, has played 23 NRL games and scored 20 tries – a phenomenal effort.

This year, Staines also had games with multiple try scoring efforts. In Round 5, Staines scored two tries for Penrith in a 30-10 victory over Canberra and only four rounds later it was Cronulla who copped it again when he bagged a hat-trick in a 48-0 schillacking.

In Round 10, he scored two tries in a victory over Titans then two weeks later repeated the dose in a 30-4 pasting of wooden spooners Canterbury. In Round 18, he nabbed two again, against the New Zealand Warriors.

What a year it was – congratulations Charlie and the Penrith Panthers!

Premiers 2021! Now bring on St. Helens and the World Club Challenge!

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS: Charlie Staines last year in Dubbo after Penrith put a score on South Sydney before repeating the dose in a narrow grand final win 14-12 in October. Charlie will be hoping for more game time this year after some of his former teammates have signed with rival clubs. Pic courtesy of Sharon Swindle.

For Charlie Staines and his Penrith Panthers, the first step towards defending their 2021 title will be against fellow contenders Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, on Thursday March 10 in what shapes as a mouth-watering contest to open the new season.

For Staines, work has already begun despite grand final victory parades in Penrith and Bathurst yet to be held. He will have first shot at the vacant wing spot left after Paul Momorovski left for the Roosters and Brent Naden and Matt Burton signed with the Bulldogs. The bigger question will be whether Stephen Crichton lines up inside him or someone else should he suit up next to NSW flyer, Brian To’o. Nevertheless, with Tyrone May also gone and Dean Whare departing last season as well – Penrith’s stocks suddenly look a little thin in the outside backs. Who will play inside Staines next year?

While coach Ivan Cleary and the Penrith Panthers brains trust have time to resolve their shortage of outside backs, the 2022 draw sees Penrith take on South Sydney in a grand final rematch in Round Four and two games against other heavyweights Melbourne and Sydney Roosters among others including rivals Parramatta.

In another boost for the game in the bush and our region, an equal record number of regional fixtures will be played with Bathurst, Dubbo, Mudgee and Wagga among the ten locations the NRL is taking the competition in 2022 in a real win for country rugby league fans.

Yet for Staines and the Panthers it is all about a good pre-season and getting combinations right for round one against the Sea Eagles. The 2022 NRL season may well be the one where Forbes Ferrari Charlie Staines finally leaves his mark!

30 YEARS AGO: Gooloogong’s Royce Simmons (pictured with trophy) after winning the 1991 grand final. Forbes Charlie Staines will be hoping his young side can do the same on Sunday. Photo courtesy of NRL.com

It is the grand final no one expected – South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday and pending last minute changes it appears Forbes Charlie Staines sadly will not be part of the match day 17. It is also 30 years since Gooloogong’s favourite son Royce Simmons held aloft the Provan-Summons trophy.

Simmons, in his last game for the Panthers, scored the winning try in a 19-12 grand final rematch with a star-studded Canberra Raiders side that included the likes of Junee’s Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart and Brad Clyde among others.

Penrith, coming off a massive win over defending premiers Melbourne, will be looking not just for revenge against the Rabbitohs after a 16-10 loss three weeks ago but redemption after losing last year’s decider 26-20 to the Storm. Penrith will be wary after master coach Wayne Bennett ambushed the young side to earn a week off.

However the game plays out it will make for riveting viewing and hopefully the Forbes Ferrari gets a last-minute call up. Now that would be a story!

Our tip – Penrith by a point in a real close one.

It appears Charlie Staines isn’t the only Forbes Ferrari winning on and off the field in Pantherland with Bayden Moran and Billy Phillips both added to the Panthers 2022 SG Ball train-on squad.

It is even more impressive given the disruption to sport in the past two years and the lack of continuity and consistent competition. While Penrith were busy beating Parramatta in the NRL finals last weekend 8-6, the Panthers SG Ball squad was announced via the highly successful Panthers Pathways that has seen the likes of Dubbo’s Matt Burton and others go through the ranks.

The 2022 squad is filled with the majority of players coming from Western Sydney as well as two from Forbes and one each from Cowra, Lithgow, Bathurst and even Queensland.

For Moran and Phillips it is testament to the hard work put in and good performances despite the COVID enforced breaks and interruptions. Forbes was the only club outside Dubbo or Western Sydney with two players selected. Well done!