When Nyngan defeated Dubbo CYMS late in the regular season, the Tigers faithful at Larkin Oval were sure to let the Fishies know about it.
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And it was Brad Pickering who copped the most attention from the fans in black and orange.
Pickering was a huge part of Nyngan’s charge to the Group 11 preliminary final last year, a run which, at the time, was as good as the Tigers had ever achieved in the competition.
But the versatile Pickering opted to make the move from Nyngan to the green and white of CYMS in the off-season and is now part of a side which stands in the way of the Tigers and a first Group 11 title.
“They’re just any other team,” Pickering said, the former Western Ram named at five-eighth again for the decider.
“That’s the way I’m taking it. It’s just another game.”
The “just another game” phase is somewhat of a mantra at Dubbo CYMS.
Coach Tim Ryan has said numerous times this season “what happened last year, last month or last week doesn’t matter”.
But what happened last year is something Nyngan fans, and others opposing the green and whites, will be sure to bring up on Sunday.
The story of CYMS going through the regular season before being beaten by Forbes Magpies last year has already become part of Group 11 folklore.
And while it’s something spoken about fondly in Forbes, Pickering is adamant there’s never been a discussion about it in the Fishies camp.
“It’s not even been mentioned,” he said.
“It was last year and the boys joked about a bit at training early in the year but now it’s the end of the season so it’s not something we’ll bring up.”
Pickering has been named in the number six jersey again for the decider but it would not come as shock to see him play somewhere else.
When CYMS downed Nyngan in the major semi it was a new-look lineup with Matt Naden called up to play five-eighth while veteran prop Ilisoni Vonomateiratu also got a start.
“I’m happy to be in the first grade squad. I’ll play anywhere and that’s what I said when I came across,” Pickering said.
Kick off is set for 2.30pm.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
