And despite the incredibly vast area Western encompasses, both the Rams under 16s and under 18s sides believe the close-knit nature of their outfits will lead them to country championship wins this weekend.

It’s the second season in succession Western has succeeded in qualifying both its under 16s and under 18s outfits through to the final game of each championship.

Both teams lost last year’s deciders at Tamworth and after suffering defeat in last year’s under 16s grand final, Joey Hobby is hoping to taste a touch of redemption in 2017.

The Blayney Bears young-gun has graduated into Cameron Greenhalgh’s under 18s side this season, but has continued to star as an under-sized prop at a representative level.

What Hobby lacks in size he makes up for in agility and speed, and against a mammoth Newcastle Rebels outfit, one that includes former Orange junior Feleti Mateo, Hobby will be looking to help lift the Rams to the title.

“It’ll be good to get that bit of redemption,” Hobby smiled, a member of the under 16s side that went down 16-12 to the Greater Northern Tigers, a try on the bell sealing the Tigers the title. 

The under 18s lost 44-10 against Bidgee in last year’s final.

“The final is massive compared to the other games, even the semi (in Bathurst this year) was bigger,” Hobby added.

The Blayney bookend says his side has clicked from the moment coach Greenhalgh finalised his squad, which came after a terrible trial effort against the Parramatta Eels under 18s development squad in February.

“We’re really close as a team, we’ve bonded well,” Hobby said.

“Everyone makes the effort to get to training which has made a big difference.”

That cohesion was evident in Western’s last win, an emphatic 44-10 thrashing of the Tigers in the semi-final at Carrington Park a fortnight ago.

With the likes of Bathurst St Pat’s prop Riley Cheshire, Forbes fullback Charlie Staines and Parkes backrower Darby Medlyn pulling the strings, Hobby believes Western is capable of breaking through for a championship win.

“It was pretty good win (in the semi-final),” he said.

“I think we’ll do ok but (Newcastle) won pretty comfortably as well in their semi-final.”

“They’re a big side, which is a bit worrying, but we’ve worked really hard on our defence all campaign and that’s against big sides too.”

Rams under 16s skipper Nic Barlow says his side will be confident after a nervy semi-final win over Newcastle at Bathurst.

His side comes into its decider on the back of completely different last-start showings, Barlow’s side clinging to a 36-34 victory over the Rebels to qualify.

“It was a bit scary,” Barlow smiled.

“But again, just hanging in there and sticking to our structure and playing as a team got us over the line.”

He said the Rams were wary of the East Coast Dolphins.

“There’s a couple of big boys up front, it’s been a pretty good competition so far,” he added.

The championships finals begin at 10am with the under 16s.