GRAND final wins mean different things to different players, but for a pair of Dubbo CYMS veterans Sunday's 34-20 victory over Parkes in the 2014 Group 11 decider was yet another chance to savour the rush of premiership success.
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Prop Nick Wilson and hooker Luke Jenkins would both admit they were closer to the end of their playing careers than the beginning, but as survivors of the Fishies' glory days of the early 2000s they also took the chance to savour the win.
Jenkins started his career in the juniors with Narromine but has become a stalwart of the CYMS club, and amazingly on Sunday was involved in his 13th grand final.
"It's been a good run over the years, that's for sure," said Jenkins, who is also a former coach of the club.
"It's pretty amazing when you think about all the players that have come and gone over the past 10 or 15 years but we're still able to go out there each year and put competitive teams on the field.
"Every grand final win is special because when you get to my age you don't know if it will be the last one you'll play in before it all finishes.
"It was disappointing to miss out last year but we've rebounded well this year and it's great we've been able to cap off another good year with a premiership."
While Jenkins has been a key component in coach Tim Ryan's plans during the past two years, Wilson gave CYMS a boost in the forwards when he returned to the club just prior to the June 30 transfer deadline.
Boasting a youthful and agile, albeit small, pack Ryan had no hesitation in adding Wilson's experience and bulk into the first grade squad.
As a player whose family is engrained firmly within the fabric of CYMS, Wilson automatically commanded respect from the newer players at the club.
His ability to mentally rattle opposition players and attract the ire of their fans also came in handy as the Fishies went in search of the title that slipped from their grasp in 2013.
After winning six premierships with CYMS, Wilson and his family moved to the central coast a couple of years ago.
But when a permanent move home was mooted a few months back, Wilson was keen to get back into the green and white.
"At the start of the year I probably would have thought I'd be on the coast and maybe playing a grand final down there," he said.
"To come back halfway through the year and to be here today, it's a strange ending to the season but I'm really happy.
"I've won seven first grade premierships with CYMS now, and to be honest with the squad we have I don't see why we can't go on and win a couple more.
"Tim does a great job as coach, and some of the things these young kids can do and the way they have taken to what the club is about means we'll be strong for a while yet."
