Sporting teams the world over know the away leg is always the hardest.
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It’s no different for Dubbo College athletes on Thursday as they head to Bathurst for the start of their 2018 Astley Cup campaign.
The difficulty of two consecutive 6am starts is only compounded by the fact they’re taking on the defending champions Bathurst High School.
Bathurst has won four of past six titles, claiming victory in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017, and has won 25 overall while Orange last tasted success in 2016, the most recent of its 42 titles.
A 22-time winner, Dubbo hasn’t won since 2011.
But Dubbo College sports organiser Craig May said all of Dubbo’s teams and individual athletes are determined to give their southern rivals a run for their money.
“Bathurst are really strong this year. They’re the holders of the cup, really strong depth in both their boys and girls soccer, both tennis sides … they were recently crowned western region champions in boys and runners up in girls,” May said.
The 96th edition of one of Australia’s longest-standing inter-school sporting competitions kicks off on Thursday morning with tennis at 9.30am followed by the basketball at 11.45am.
But Dubbo’s best chance of success on day one will come with the netball at 12.45pm.
“Dubbo are western region runners-up, Bathurst didn’t make it through to the finals,” May said. “Our girls will do really well.”
Athletics and the Mulvey Cup tie will round out day one.
“The athletics is always a tight competition … you never know how that’s going to turn out,” May said.
Bathurst does have a slight advantage, with the son of Olympian Darren Clark competing in both track and field events.
Zen Clark won every athletics event he took part in in the 2017 edition of the Astley Cup, despite the fact he doesn’t train.
“Zen Clark, he’s an exceptional athlete … he’s one to look out for from Bathurst,” May said.
“But Jaimee Nixon is looking really strong and Rodney Williams, and Carlos Nykolyn, he has just jumped six metres in the high jump.”
The Dubbo College basketball side will be looking to reverse their recent 80-40 loss to Bathurst High in the CHS competition.
Friday’s events will start with the girls hockey – one of Dubbo’s best chances at victory – at 9.30am, before the boys and girls soccer at 11.30am and 12.45pm respectively.
The Dubbo boys will then face Bathurst in the rugby league, where they’ll be another strong chance despite the fact the side features just one Year 12 student.
But May stressed winning was not Dubbo College’s only concern.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve won Astley Cup and obviously we’d love to win it,” he said. “But at the end of the day we want to play as hard as we can, as fairly as we can and we want to exhibit great sportsmanship across all sports.”
2018 ASTLEY CUP OPENING TIE
DUBBO COLLEGE v BATHURST HIGH at BATHURST
DAY ONE – Thursday, June 21
TENNIS – 9.30am, Bathurst Tennis Complex
BASKETBALL – 11.45am, Bathurst Indoor Sports Stadium
NETBALL – 12.45pm, Bathurst Indoor Sports Stadium
ATHLETICS – 2pm, Carrington Park
MULVEY CUP DEBATE – time TBC, Bathurst High School
DAY TWO – Friday, June 22
HOCKEY – 9.30am, Bathurst Hockey Complex
BOYS’ FOOTBALL – 11.30am, Proctor Park
GIRLS’ FOOTBALL – 12.45pm, Proctor Park
RUGBY LEAGUE – 2.15pm, Carrington Park
