STEPPING up into the starting halfback role is a big responsibility for someone to take on at any point of the Peter McDonald Premiership season.
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That pressure gets ramped up even further when the result of the match determines whether you'll play at home or away for an elimination final the following weekend.
However, if Bathurst Panthers' Joey Bugg was feeling any pressure during Sunday's crucial final round game against Orange CYMS he wasn't showing any of it.
The Panthers number seven scored the winning try for the Panthers and was an instrumental part of their 26-23 victory on Old Boys Day at Carrington Park.
Bugg - shifting across from his previous role at hooker - and five-eighth Dylan Miles showed a strong connection in the halves, each coming away with a try and setting up several of their teammates.
Jackson Vallis was another standout for the Panthers, scoring two tries in the win.
The victory sees Panthers finish in fifth place, which sets up an elimination final at home against the Wellington Cowboys.
It's a brutal defeat for CYMS, who were one of the competition frontrunners during the first half of the season but have now finished in seventh place.
That leaves the green and golds with a tough sudden death trip away to the Forbes next week.
The Magpies' put themselves up into sixth spot thanks to their win over the Cowboys on Sunday.
Stepping up on the big occasion
Panthers soaked up the victory alongside many former Bathurst Penguins and Bathurst Charlestons players in attendance for Old Boys Day.
Bugg was all smiles post-match while standing among a jubilant crowd of teammates and former players.
"It was a great game. After a disappointing game last week we tried to not leak too many points and show up in defence," he said.
"I slotted into the seven role, which is where I'd been playing over the last couple of years, but this year I'd been filling in elsewhere. It was nice to be back in there."
Panthers were down 23-22 with 10 minutes to go when Bugg crashed over for a well-earned try on the right side of the field.
"I haven't scored many tries this year so it was great to get over the line," Bugg said.
"We've got a home semi now and it's always great to play here with the home fans. The Old Boys Day made it extra special too. It was nice to put on a good performance."
Defeat leaves CYMS searching for solutions
CYMS looked like they'd carry a 10-6 advantage into half time when tries to Kiyan Shaw and Jesse Buchan saw the visitors respond to an early Vallis try.
Jackson Carter finished off a team try set up by Bugg and Brady Cheshire to level it up at 10-all.
Some quick hands from Dan Mortimer allowed the CYMS halfback to a kick a field goal in the shadows of half-time.
CYMS' discipline abandoned them at the resumption of play and they were punished through tries to Miles and Vallis.
Orange gathered themselves and looked set to break the Panthers' hearts when Ryan Griffin scored and Sam Dwyer capitalised on a Panthers error to put their side up 23-22.
That new lead lasted seven minutes before Bugg intervened.
"We knew it was going to be tough and knew it was going to be close. It was going to take 80 minutes to get the win," CYMS player-coach Jack Buchanan said.
"I thought at half-time that even though we were up by one we had the advantage. We were starting to get on top of them and it was only our errors that were costing us.
"The message at half-time was to respect the ball and we just didn't do that at all. We did the complete opposite, to be honest.
"We didn't find touch [on a penalty], came off our line after defending a couple of times and then went to throw an offload that probably wasn't on at that point of the game."
