Orange CYMS clash with Bathurst Panthers in Group 10 under 16s league tag grand final

The now under 16s will face Bathurst Panthers in the Group 10 league tag grand final at Wade Park on Sunday, September 17.

Coach Emma Gavin said the team was still being driven by the curtailed 2021 campaign.

"In 2021 the girls were in under 13s and they were undefeated and predicted to win the grand final but COVID hit and our grand final was gone," she said.

"These girls have been chasing that grand final win since 2021.

"That drive from those girls has fed into the new players as well."

The 2023 decider is a repeat of last year's under 15s match, where CYMS fell 40-16 to Panthers.

Gavin said her side had gone through some positive changes and learned from their errors as the season wore on.

"The season has gone really well," she said.

"We have had a bunch of new players come and join the team and it's been a real boost, everyone has slotted in perfectly.

"The girls have really matured this year as well and they've grown as a team. There are no individual players on this team.

"Any loss we've been able to turn into a learning opportunity and they have been able to build on those mistakes.

"It was a core goal for the team this season, to turn around and come back this season to try and get that grand final rematch.

"They set that goal and we knew it was going to require work to get there and they did it which was amazing."

CYMS and Panthers will also face off in the under 13s league tag grand final with kick-off at 11am while the under 16s get underway at 12pm.

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