Macquarie coach Alan Auld hopes an inter-town challenge between Dubbo and Bathurst this weekend could be the start of something big.
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Auld and Orana Spurs stalwart Steven Tongue will coach the Dubbo men on Saturday night, after Western NSW Football coach and development manager Andrew Fearnley put out the call for a match to mark the reopening of Bathurst’s redeveloped Proctor Park.
David Jeffrey, Alex Richardson-Bell and Shane Sutton are mentoring the Dubbo women’s side.
But what started as a one-off affair could herald the rebirth of regular representative fixtures between Dubbo and Bathurst – at least that’s what Auld hopes.
He suggests another fixture over the June long weekend, as well as at the conclusion of the regular season.
Orange also wants in.
“The senior rep teams is something that’s been lacking so this is just a starting point and there’s discussion that perhaps we can make this a regular event and I think we will,” he said.
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“We used to have the Western Premier League … an elite competition, so now I suppose that the players can aspire to actually play at a higher level.
“The players have received it pretty well … it’s something I’ve wanted for many years and everyone’s looking forward to it.”
I can only see it benefiting Dubbo football.
- Alan Auld
The inter-town challenge gets underway at 5pm on Saturday with the women's game, followed by the men's at 7pm.
It's something both sides are taking seriously.
Dubbo men are taking seriously.
The men have played trial matches against Macquarie and Orana Spurs - winning both - with Auld naming a 16-man squad this week.
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He said it was going to be hard to pick his starting 11, but with fitness levels "not at 100 per cent yet" this preseason, he was "sure everyone will get plenty of game time".
Meanwhile the women have been training twice a week and performed "better than expected" in a recent trial against a local men's side.
"They're excited, but nervous obviously because a lot of them haven't sort of played at that next level," Richardson-Bell said.
"But they seem ready.
"It's a great opportunity for them … it's the next level to close the gap between local and representative soccer so it's a good opportunity for the girls to get out there and experience what it's like at that next level of football."
Auld said the preparation helped "bring the clubs closer together", and the men were "gelling well".
"It's looking good."
THE MEN
Kieran Moore, Jake Setree (Newtown), Brooklyn Crain, Connor Crain, Jesse Spang, Glen Schein, Will Grant (Macquarie United), Alex Richardson, Kobe Rapley (Dubbo FC), Bailey Delaney, Toby Spora, Anugus Cusack, Jake Ferguson, James Bourke (Orana Spurs), Connor McDonald (South Dubbo Wanderers) and Brendan Box (RSL).
THE WOMEN
Claire Sienkiewicz, Jane Winter, Jessica Ann Welman, Kristen Clark, Kristen Jamhour, Leesh Hafoka, Maddi Tierney, Matilda Low, Matilda Montague, Naomi Bowen, Chloe Bowen, Nikea Goodwin, Nyoka Boney, Steph Jolliffe, Dana Taylor and Lakeisha Macay.