Central West Rugby Union top 50: The best players to play over the last 25 years | Players 40-31

Highlighting their importance to most premiership winning outfits in the last quarter-of-a-century, some big boppers and mercurial outside backs make the cut in the next line of our top 50 players.

Players 40 to 31 has three Emus and three Lions, while electric Gorilla and a couple of ex-students also make the cut.

Fast becoming one of the best outside backs to done the famous blue and gold hoops at Bathurst.

Electric and powerful, Plummer has enjoyed tremendous success since rising into the Bulldogs top grade in 2016 and producing an inspired effort to oust City in an extra-time, elimination semi-final comeback for the ages.

Has gone on to represent Central West and the NSW Country rep sides, and was in 2023 the player of the final as the Blue Bulls went on to win the Caldwell Cup.

Near the complete player this season, and a big reason as to why the Dogs will be so hard to beat come September.

A cross-code star - a legitimate one, too. And they're aren't that many of them on this list.

Where players duck and dive between rugby and league on an annual basis, and some battle in their not-preferred code, Lasagavibau excels, in both.

As creative and elusive as anyone who's donned a City jumper in the last 25 years, Joey Lamborghini was tremendous in a couple of stints at Pride Park. Led the club to the grand final in 2015 but they ultimately fell short in what was the first all-Orange decider.

Arguably the most talented player to appear anywhere on this list.

Staniforth landed back at Emus as a 38-year-old after half-a-decade playing professionally in France, and was really one of the new faces at the club that proved a catalyst for change at Endeavour Oval.

Kicks, runs the ball and passes as well as any outside back in the Central West, and probably still at the top of his game in all of those facets despite being now well into his 40s.

Legend - there's no two ways about it.

Tremain has played over 250 games for the Orange City Lions and his longevity in arguably the hardest positions on the field makes him truly one of the region's many rugby marvels, if not one of the game's best props.

A multiple-time Blue Bulls and Country Cockatoos representative, 'Blocker' was a key man up front in City's incredible run from 2012 to 2013 where the club won two titles and went on a phenomenal 39-game unbeaten run.

A blonde bombshell or fiery red-head ... the old black and white photos in the paper won't reveal, but either way when Flannery was out there on the field the opposition knew it.

One of those tenacious, on-the-ball breakaways that have become almost a dime a dozen in rugby in 2023, Flannery really paved the way in the Central West in that space and was crucial for the students in that breakthrough 2004 campaign.

He added some real toughness to the CSU pack. Young, hard and wrote his own cheques.

Croucher was the cornerstone of CSU's scrum throughout the late noughties.

Although they tasted no title success, many would argue they had a team more than capable of doing so and that was in no small part to the influence of their set-piece.

He was a mainstay for Central West and NSW Country, playing across the entire front row at club and representative levels.

Did anyone ever stop big 'Nasty' close to the line?

That was rhetorical. How could you possibly stop a 150kg wrecking ball with a full head of steam.

Havealeta was the cornerstone of Emus' dominant scrum for virtually the club's whole run of grand final appearances from 2014 onward.

Great around the field for his size too, and his work running the ball was instrumental in getting Emus over the advantage line and on the front foot.

Dabbled in a few different positions in rugby, but made a home in the mid-field in some of Emus' best teams in that golden run of grand final appearances from 2014 through to the COVID-era.

Harris is a powerhouse centre that straightened Emus attack with almost every touch. Ran a great line and did so with the sort of speed and balance that had opposition defensive lines skittled like tenpins.

Strong without the ball too, and that really is a telling factor here.

Those great Emus sides leaked next to no points per game, and Harris' defensive reads under pressure against some very good attacking sides were key there.

A real livewire that seemingly produced points for fun. Went on an incredible run of five-pointers in the late 2000s while dominating for the Gorillas and then the Narromine Jets in the Group 11 competition too.

A real weapon in the halves in the 15-man game, Harding could play in a dinner suit and would often prove just as tough to handle at a representative level too.

Dubbed a 'teenage sensation' when thrust into Narromine's top side in 2007.

Scored a couple of tries in Narromine's memorable 2009 premiership win on home soil at Cale Oval.

Had a couple of stints at the club.

His most successful time at Pride Park was undoubtedly the second time around during City's stunning two-year run to a couple of premierships in 2012 and 2013.

While there were plenty of stars in both of those sides, you can't ever doubt the role a No.10 plays in pulling all of the right strings at the right time, and Sparks' ability to put the right lever at precisely the right time ensures his greatness as a Lion.

A wonderful club man and a brilliant five-eighth.

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