It near happened in 2019, and the club is gunning to ensure it's a big chance of achieving the feat again in 2020 ... just on a much, much bigger scale.

Last week it was revealed the Bathurst Bulldogs, the 2019 Blowes Clothing Cup champions, were deep into planning to "change our operating model", as president Greg Reid put it.

That change would mean the Bulldogs forgo fielding teams in the Blowes Clothing Cup's third and colts competitions and, instead, take part in next season's second tier, the New Holland Agriculture Cup.

There's no doubting the Dogs have the cattle and quality to be able to pull off such an audacious move.

The reigning Central West Rugby Union club champions have proved over a long period of time that depth is one of their real strengths.

Making grand finals in the Blowes Clothing Cup's five grades - firsts, seconds, thirds, colts and women's - on home soil only further proved that in 2019.

That dominance isn't surprising though.

The Mitchell Men still predominantly use players that attend the uni at Bathurst, so as essentially the only rugby club drawing on a town of 40,000 people naturally the Bulldogs should have ample numbers.

The only number that counts in this issue, though, is one.

Number one, and that's the Bulldogs.

The club has made it pretty clear ahead of the 2020 season they're only worried about themselves in what is seemingly an unabashed search for country rugby supremacy.

Reid talks about the "huge financial windfall" the club enjoyed on the back of hosting last year's grand finals and how the Bulldogs plan to "leverage" that boon heading into next season.

The Dogs can aim big. That's perfectly okay.

As an organisation it's important to ensure your own longevity, and prosperity, and then give your players the best chance to excel as well. The Bulldogs are doing just that.

But in this instance, in country rugby and in the Central West, it's important clubs like the Bulldogs accept there's an added responsibility when sitting at the top of the tree.

That duty is ensuring the competition grows, and continues to thrive.

Fostering the 15-man code in this region has to be at the top of the Bulldogs' ambitious list of things to do in 2020.

Nominating two sides - Australian Community Media understands those sides would be a combination of the club's third grade and colts groups mixed into two teams - to play in the New Holland Agriculture Cup instead of playing solely in the Blowes Clothing Cup is looking out for number one only.

Simply, Bathurst has to be part of the CWRU colts competition. There's no two ways about it.

Central West chief Matt Tink worked hard to forge ahead with an under 19s competition that, based on the success of the Westfund Ferguson Cup, would be a standalone premiership.

Emus, City, Narromine, Rhinos and Roos all joined Bulldogs in last year's under 19s competition. Last year Mudgee, Wellington and Forbes also had under 17s sides.

Growth is happening, but not having the Dogs take part in that process in 2020 would be a massive blow.

Central West needs colts, and its colts competition needs the Dogs to lead that charge.

The club says in 2019 the amount of forfeits in that colts competition was a concern, and players weren't getting the amount of rugby they deserved.

The same concern was held for the club's third graders, which is why the move to the New Holland Agriculture Cup is being touted.

Reid says the move is "in the best interest of our club".

"Third grade has been under demise for quite some time, which is unfortunate. I love third grade and it's the heart and soul of the club," Reid adds.

Isn't the Bathurst club then ripping out the heart of the Blowes Clothing Cup by not backing the premiership's lower grade title races?

Sure, forfeits are an issue.

But that's a motif you'll see in just about every sporting code in the region. It's an issue for all, not just the odd club battling player-wise.

What's the saying? If you're not part of the solution, you're probably part of the problem.

The Dogs won't avoid forfeits playing in the New Holland Agriculture Cup's second grade competition either.

Blayney battled in 2019, as did the Parkes Boars at times. So what's the point? The Dogs are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

There's no real benefit to the CWRU second tier.

Mudgee, Narromine and Parkes have long battled against bigger centres, and having smaller-scale clubs like Rhinos and CSU in the mix has been a good fit.

Does the injection of the Bulldogs add to the competition? Or is it just a means of filling the club's trophy cabinet?

The Dogs' third grade side is stacked with experience - Stephen Locke was not-all-that long ago playing Shute Shield rugby - while the club's colts are brimming with talent.

They'll be tough to beat at that level, make no mistake about it.

At the end of it all, the only question that needs to be asked is this: will the move benefit Central West rugby as a whole?

If those in charge think so, then pull the trigger.

But if the end result is CWRU being awash in blue and gold, the only real winner is one club when it's an entire region that needs the real boost.