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The Cowboys have been the form team of the competition in recent weeks and while they were gallant in a close loss on Sunday, the result was enough to see them fall from top spot in our weekly power rankings.
Here's the latest standings:
1. Dubbo CYMS (last week: 2)
While Dubbo CYMS still isn't at its very best the minor premiership is now the Fishies' to lose.
The weekend's results means Jarryn Powyer's men are four points clear with just three rounds remaining.
The Fishies' fighting spirit was on show on Sunday as they dug deep in a somewhat scrappy performance to get past Forbes.
It was another bruising encounter and Tom Yeo, Jyie Chapman, Jayden Merritt, and Cameron Dennis all battled knocks at different times during the win while winger Nick Karydis failed to finish the match.
CYMS will relish the upcoming general bye to rest a number of knocks before a tricky trip to Parkes.
Powyer will no doubt be keen to see his side start better in that one after the Fishies conceded the first try against Forbes, Macquarie, and Wellington recently.
2. Wellington Cowboys (last week: 1)
The Cowboys were in no way shamed in their first loss since round two, in fact there's no doubt positives for Justin Toomey-White and the senior figures after going close despite being a man down for so long on Sunday.
As losses go, Sunday's wasn't too bad.
Steve Gordon's send-off hurt the Cowboys at Nyngan but the side has a week of now to plan out how it will get back to its best.
With away games against Macquarie and Narromine to come and a clash with a Forbes Magpies side which needs to win to ensure finals footy, things don't get easier for the Cowboys.
But that's the way coach Toomey-White will like it as his side ramps things up late in the season.
The minor premiership may now be out of reach but a top two finish and a second bite at the apple is still very much on the cards.
3. Nyngan Tigers (last week: 6)
The Tigers are up and down these rankings more than a yo-yo.
However, they are slowly starting the track upwards after a middle part of the season seriously hampered by injuries.
They could have been better in the win over Wellington but player-coach Justin Carney said it best when he said "a win's a win".
A victory at home over one of the top sides will do wonders for the side's confidence and, realistically, another win should be recorded after the bye when the Tigers host the Narromine Jets.
After that, what should be a belter of a contest with CYMS awaits.
A positive result in that one and the men in black and gold will really be peaking at the right time.
4. Parkes Spacemen (last week: 5)
What to make of the Parkes Spacemen at the moment?
They've won three of their past five but, outside a Westside mauling, they haven't been doing it easy.
They only got past Narromine by four points on Sunday and in a win over Forbes last month they were forced to rally from six points down in the second half.
Like some other sides in the competition they're not firing on all cylinders and it's a testing run home for the Spacies as they meet CYMD, Macquarie, and Forbes in the final three rounds.
Getting a consistent lineup on the pitch regularly in the final three rounds will go a long way to helping Parkes lock up a finals spot.
5. Forbes Magpies (last week: 3)
You've got to fell for Forbes a bit this year.
While all sides have battled a stack of injuries, the defending premiers have been absolutely whacked by injuries and off-field dramas.
Josh Toole and Brydon Ramien, two marquee off-season signings, have both come and gone while another recruit in Jesse Wighton failed to show for Sunday's game against CYMS.
Those kind of things alone would make continuity difficult but with the sheer amount of injuries it's impressive the Magpies stuck it to CYMS as much as they did, especially after Tongia Fox was sent off.
Hanging in there is what the Magpies are doing, in every match and in the finals race.
The battle for fifth spot is going right to the wire and Macquarie is now breathing down the Magpies' neck.
A week off could be just what the men in black and white need.
6. Macquarie Raiders (last week: 4)
A week off for Macquarie after Westside's forfeit and it could be seen as a little harsh to drop them down the rankings.
They got maximum points and they almost certainly would have had the game gone ahead anyway, given the Rabbitohs' serious struggles this year.
With the general bye next weekend two weeks off might not be ideal, but the Raiders now have no reason not to be fresh for a testing clash with Wellington.
The Raiders will need at least one, or more likely two, surprise wins in the final rounds to finish in the top five. They know exactly what they have to do.
7. Narromine Jets (last week: 7)
The words 'gutsy' and 'loss' are going hand-in-hand this season.
The Jets continue to play some tough, genuine footy but they're still not just quite at the level of the top teams this season.
The men in red and white pushed Parkes last weekend, only to be beaten by four points.
Motivation has stay up within the Jets camp as they look to finish this real season of development in strong fashion.
8. Dubbo Westside (last week: 8)
The dreaded forfeit came on the weekend. Just what Dubbo Westside didn't want this season.
It wasn't avoidable though given a huge amount of injuries and players departing the club in recent weeks.
Secretary Brooke Mallison was relatively confident the Rabbitohs would only forfeit once this year and that has to be the case for the club.
If they fail to finish the season so much outstanding work done behind the scenes would go to waste. Anyone who is involved in the club has got to dig deep in the final month of the regular season.