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On April 6, the Woodbridge Cup finally returns, so what better way to celebrate footy season being back in our lives than to take a look at each of the 13 clubs' draw for 2024.
Will Manildra be able to make it a three-peat of first grade titles?
Could Canowindra build on its pre-season form to finally break their premiership drought?
We'll try to do our best to answer those questions and more as we analyse the season schedule for the first grade sides.
But before we get to each club, lets first take a look at the key dates for the coming campaign.
The season itself kicks off on the weekend of April 6/7 and teams won't have a break until May 11/12 which acts as the representative round. There will be a second competition bye for the June 9 long weekend.
This year, Indigenous Round will be held during round 13 of the competition on July 13/14.
The eight team semi-finals commence on August 3/4 with the grand final slated for Sunday, August 25.
Manildra Rhinos
- Sunday, April 7 - Home to Molong
- Sunday, April 14 - Away to Trundle
- Sunday, April 21 - Home to Peak Hill
- Sunday, April 28 - Away to Blayney
- Sunday, May 5 - Home to Oberon
- Sunday, May 19 - Away to Grenfell
- Sunday, May 26 - Home to Eugowra
- Saturday, June 1 - Away to CSU
- Sunday, June 16, Home to Cowra
- Saturday, June 23 - Away to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, July 7 - Away to Cargo
- Sunday, July 14 - Away to Molong
- Sunday, July 21 - Home to Trundle
- Friday night - July 26 - Away to Canowindra
You'd be hard-pressed to bet against the Rhinos making it three premierships in a row.
And for those trying to figure out who will come out on top at the end of the year, Manildra's schedule will give you a good insight early on.
A grand final re-match against Trundle and games against Peak Hill and Blayney within the first four rounds should give us a good indication of where the defending premiers sit in relation to the rest of their competition.
Canowindra Tigers
- Sunday, April 7 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, April 14 - Away to Molong
- Sunday, April 21 - Home to Trundle
- Sunday, April 28 - Away to Peak Hill
- Sunday, May 5 - Home to Blayney
- Sunday, May 19 - Away to Oberon
- Sunday, May 26 - Home to Grenfell
- Saturday, June 1 - Away to Eugowra
- Friday night, June 14 - Home to CSU
- Sunday, June 23 - Away to Cowra
- Sunday, June 30 - Home to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, July 14 - Away to Cargo
- Sunday, July 21 - Home to Molong
- Friday night, July 26 - Home to Manildra
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
That's been the case for Canowindra over the past three decades, so can 2024 be the year they break that unwanted streak?
Thankfully for the Tigers, they'll have a pretty good run-in to the finals series.
A bye in round 12 followed by games against Cargo and Molong to fine tune themselves, before a round 15 blockbuster against Manildra should be the perfect preparation.
Trundle Boomers
- Bye
- Sunday, April 14 - Home to Manildra
- Sunday, April 21 - Away to Canowindra
- Sunday, April 28 - Home to Molong
- Sunday, May 5 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, May 19 - Away to Peak Hill
- Sunday, May 26 - Home to Blayney
- Saturday, June 1 - Away to Oberon
- Sunday, June 16 - Home to Grenfell
- Sunday, June 23 - Away to Eugowra
- Saturday June 29 - Home to CSU
- Sunday, July 7 - Away to Cowra
- Bye
- Sunday, July 21 - Away to Manildra
- Sunday, July 28 - Home to Orange
While everyone else will be starting their campaigns on the first weekend in April, the Boomers will be stuck twiddling their thumbs at home.
A round one bye is never ideal, but someone has to do it. To make things better (or worse, depending on how you look at it), they are one of two teams to have multiple byes during the season.
That round 13 week off will be much needed as it's squeezed in-between games away to Cowra and Away to Orange...talk about your tough finishes.
Orange United
- Saturday night, April 6 - Home to Peak Hill
- Sunday, April 14 - Away to Blayney
- Saturday, April 20 - Home to Oberon
- Sunday, April 28 - Away to Grenfell
- Saturday, May 4 - Home to Eugowra
- Saturday, May 18 - Away to CSU
- Saturday, May 25 - Home to Cowra
- Sunday, June 2 - Away to Cargo
- Bye
- Saturday, June 22 - Home to Manildra
- Sunday, June 30 - Away to Canowindra
- Saturday, July 6 - Home to Molong
- Saturday, July 13 - Away to Peak Hill
- Saturday, July 20 - Home to Blayney
- Sunday, July 28 - Away to Trundle
Coach Willie Wright is suspended for the first half of the season, but he should be right to line up for the Warriors following their round nine bye.
That's perfect timing however as they enter their toughest part of the schedule.
With the exception of Molong, their final six games of the regular season come against teams who will at the minimum be fighting for a spot on the finals.
Wright better hope there's not much rust when he does come back.
Oberon Tigers
- Saturday, April 6 - Away to CSU
- Sunday, April 14 - Home to Cowra
- Saturday, April 20 - Away to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, May 5 - Away to Manildra
- Sunday, May 19 - Home to Canowindra
- Sunday, May 26 - Away to Molong
- Saturday, June 1 - Home to Trundle
- Sunday, June 16 - Away to Peak Hill
- Sunday, June 23 - Home to Blayney
- Sunday, June 30 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, July 7 - Away to Grenfell
- Saturday, July 14 - Home to CSU
- Sunday, July 21 - Away to Cowra
- Sunday, July 28 - Home to Eugowra
The Tigers have welcomed back former premiership-winning coach Dallas Booth to lead the charge in 2024, but how much will it help?
For the most part, Oberon's schedule looks pretty even.
Tough matches against Cowra, Orange United, Manildra and Canowindra are separated with a bye round, and a three-match run against Trundle, Peak Hill and Blayney features two homes games.
With two new clubs this season and a deeper looking comp overall, Oberon will need every advantage if they are to improve on last year's sixth-place finish.
Peak Hill Roosters
- Saturday night, April 6 - Away to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, April 21 - Away to Manildra
- Sunday, April 28 - Home to Canowindra
- Sunday, May 5 - Away to Molong
- Sunday, May 19 - Home to Trundle
- Sunday, May 26 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, June 2 - Away to Blayney
- Sunday, June 16 - Home to Oberon
- Sunday, June 23 - Away to Grenfell
- Sunday, June 30 - Home to Eugowra
- Saturday, July 6 - Away to CSU
- Saturday, July 13 - Home to Orange
- Bye
- Saturday, July 27 - Home to Cowra
A reunion first up against the Warriors for former Orange United playmaker Matty Fuller; it's the stuff dreams are made of.
This match should provide much needed entertainment and is an easy pick for match of round one.
Peak Hill should be much better this year if their halves pairing can stay on the field, so keep an eye out for this dark horse to cause some upsets.
Grenfell Goannas
- Sunday, April 7 - Away to Eugowra
- Saturday, April 13 - Home to CSU
- Saturday, April 20 - Away to Cowra
- Sunday, April 28 - Home to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, May 19 - Home to Manildra
- Sunday, May 26 - Away to Canowindra
- Sunday, June 2 - Home to Molong
- Sunday, June 16 - Away to Trundle
- Sunday, June 23 - Home to Peak Hill
- Sunday, June 30 - Away to Blayney
- Sunday, July 7 - Home to Oberon
- Sunday, July 14 - Home to Eugowra
- Saturday, July 20 - Away to CSU
- Saturday, July 27 - Home to Cargo
Grenfell's first two matches of the season will be the perfect test to see how they'll fair this season.
With expectations that both Eugowra and CSU will be better than last year, two wins from two for the Goannas could mean they'll be in with a good chance of cracking the top eight.
Two losses straight out of the gate and their season may be done with before it even really begins.
CSU Mungoes
- Saturday, April 6 - Home to Oberon
- Saturday, April 13 - Away to Grenfell
- Saturday, April 20 - Home to Eugowra
- Sunday, April 28 - Away to Cargo
- Saturday, May 4 - Away to Cowra
- Saturday, May 18 - Home to Orange
- Bye
- Saturday, June 1 - Home to Manildra
- Friday night, June 14 - Away to Canowindra
- Saturday, June 22 - Home to Molong
- Saturday, June 29 - Away to Trundle
- Saturday, July 6 - Home to Peak Hill
- Saturday, July 13 - Away to Oberon
- Saturday, July 20 - Home to Grenfell
- Sunday, July 28 - Away to Blayney
Plate winners from the Woodbridge Knockout...could this be a different Mungoes team to the one that finished with just three victories in 2023?
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but things certainly look promising.
They'll be aided by good start to the season schedule-wise. Would it be surprising to see the CSU with four or even five wins to their name come their round seven bye? Not to us it wouldn't.
If they can get off to a flyer, they'll need to ride that momentum home as their final eight games is one of the toughest stretches for any club.
Cargo Blue Heelers
- Sunday, April 7 - Away to Canowindra
- Sunday, April 14 - Home to Eugowra
- Friday night, April 19 - Away to Molong
- Sunday, April 28 - Home to CSU
- Sunday, May 5 - Away to Trundle
- Saturday, May 18 - Home to Cowra
- Sunday, May 26 - Away to Peak Hill
- Sunday, June 2 - Home to Orange
- Sunday, June 16 - Away to Blayney
- Bye
- Sunday, June 30 - Away to Oberon
- Sunday, July 7 - Home to Manildra
- Sunday, July 14 - Home to Canowindra
- Sunday, July 21 - Away to Eugowra
- Saturday, July 28 - Away to Grenfell
Cargo's best chance at tasting victory this season comes very early.
Fans of the Blue Heelers should be eyeing off their round two home match against the Golden Eagles and a trip to face the Bulls the week after as it could be another three months before they even have a chance for another win.
Unless they've been hiding a secret signing, it will be another long year for Cargo.
Eugowra Golden Eagles
- Sunday, April 7 - Home to Grenfell
- Sunday, April 14 - Away to Cargo
- Saturday, April 20 - Away to CSU
- Saturday, April 27 - Home to Cowra
- Saturday, May 4 - Away to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, May 26 - Away to Manildra
- Saturday, June 1 - Home to Canowindra
- Friday night, June 14 - Away to Molong
- Sunday, June 23 - Home to Trundle
- Sunday, June 30 - Away to Peak Hill
- Sunday, July 7 - Home to Blayney
- Sunday, July 14 - Away to Grenfell
- Sunday, July 21 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, July 28 - Away to Oberon
As mentioned above, we're expecting to see an improved Eugowra outfit this season.
Former Orange CYMS player - and Eugowra native - Alex McMillan is returning home to coach and he brings a wealth of experience.
Although it came at the expense of former coach Ricky Whitton - who also featured in the CWD Woodbridge Cup team of 2023, we think it might be the trick needed to rack up a few more victories this season.
A soft schedule to start could help their cause.
Molong Bulls
- Sunday, April 7 - Away to Manildra
- Sunday, April 14 - Home to Canowindra
- Friday night, April 19 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, April 28 - Away to Trundle
- Sunday, May 5 - Home to Peak Hill
- Sunday, May 19 - Away to Blayney
- Sunday, May 26 - Home to Oberon
- Sunday, June 2 - Away to Grenfell
- Friday night, June 14 - Home to Eugowra
- Saturday, June 22 - Away to CSU
- Sunday, June 30 - Home to Cowra
- Saturday, July 6 - Away to Orange
- Sunday, July 14 - Home to Manildra
- Sunday, July 21 - Away to Canowindra
- Bye
Another 2023 bottom feeder who switched things up in the coaching department.
The Bulls have been playing things pretty close to the chest this off-season, so it will be interesting to see who runs out onto the park come round one. Speaking of...
A trip to the defending premiers and then a home match against the Knockout champs won't delight even the most optimistic of Bulls fans.
That round three match against Cargo however will be the real test of determining if either of the sides can compete with the big boys this season.
Cowra Magpies
- Saturday night, April 6 - Home to Blayney
- Sunday, April 14 - Away to Oberon
- Saturday, April 20 - Home to Grenfell
- Saturday, April 27 - Away to Eugowra
- Saturday, May 4 - Home to CSU
- Saturday, May 18 - Away to Cargo
- Saturday, May 25 - Away to Orange
- Bye
- Sunday, June 16 - Away to Manildra
- Sunday, June 23 - Home to Canowindra
- Sunday, June 30 - Away to Molong
- Sunday, July 7 - Home to Trundle
- Sunday, July 14 - Away to Blayney
- Sunday, July 21 - Home to Oberon
- Saturday, July 27 - Away to Peak Hill
What better way to introduce yourself to the Woodbridge Cup than by *checks notes* taking on the other former Group 10 club also joining the Woodbridge Cup in round one.
But in all seriousness, this is the perfect way to introduce both the Magpies and Bears to the competition.
Rivalries are a dying thing in bush footy and while these clubs may not have a historical hatred towards each other, pitting them against one another will ensure that at least one club goes home disappointed.
Blayney Bears
- Saturday night, April 6 - Away to Cowra
- Sunday, April 14 - Away to Oberon
- Bye
- Sunday, April 28 - Home to Manildra
- Sunday, May 5 - Away to Canowindra
- Sunday, May 19 - Home to Molong
- Sunday, May 26 - Away to Trundle
- Sunday, June 2 - Home to Peak Hill
- Sunday, June 16 - Home to Cargo
- Sunday, June 23 - Away to Oberon
- Sunday, June 30 - Home to Grenfell
- Sunday, July 7 - Away to Eugowra
- Sunday, July 14 - Home to Cowra
- Saturday, July 20 - Away to Orange
- Sunday, July 28 - Home to CSU
And finally we have the Bears who have a relatively tough schedule to start things off.
The previously mentioned trip to Cowra will be followed with another away game to Oberon.
Blayney fans will have to wait until April 28 against the defending premiers to cheer their teams on at home.
The back-to-back games against Manildra and Canowindra will certainly give and indication of how well the Bears will track in new territory and if they are a chance of a premiership in their maiden Woodbridge season.