The Nightwatchmen: Who wins the Whitney Cup grand final and why

They've been the two best sides all season and now just 80 overs remain between one team and their premiership dreams.

Will it be RSL Colts winning back-to-back titles or will CYMS get their avenge their heartbreaking loss last year?

All we know is the match is set to be a cracker so we though we'd have a go and picking who will win and why they will do it.

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I'll try and be as unbiased as I can here but I think CYMS win only just. The last two times the Cougars have played Colts the game has come down to the last over and the result has gone to the latter but finals are a different beast all together.

Colts have a wealth of grand final experience through the likes of Brad Cox, Jason Ryan, Ben Taylor and Chris Morton just to name a few while even Riley Keen and Anthony Atlee have played in the final game of the season before.

Looking over at CYMS, apart from one or two players, their whole side has played in a grand final before with Ben Patterson winning three of them. The bulk of the Cougars' squad is the same from the 2020/21 season where they lost the grand final to Colts so I think the men in green will be out with a point to prove that they are indeed the best side in town.

For me, the game comes to do big moments and big game players. Taylor springs to mind as possibly the best big game player in two but so does Patterson. Both sides have aggressive players, such as Mitch Bower for Colts and Brock Larance for CYMS, who will be looking to take the game on from ball one while the likes of Marty Jeffrey and Tom Nelson will be called upon to anchor their sides innings'.

On paper, a hair splits both sides but I know the young Cougars are hungry and will be motivated to go from the young up-and-comers to premiership winners.

But as they say, to be the best you've got to be the best and Colts have been the best side for two decades now so a win for the Cougars will not come easy.

If there was a betting market I'd throw money on Cox to top-score for Colts into Larance for CYMS while I think the Cougars currently sit as favourites, anything can happen on Saturday afternoon and with the threat of rain around, it could be down to which team adapts better in the conditions.

If I were to take a shot at the final result I'd have the Cougars winning by less than 40 runs or two to three wickets.

Ask most people around the Dubbo cricket community and they'll tell you they think this weekend's grand final between CYMS and Colts is going to be close.

History points to it, as the sides have met on five occasions this season and four of those have been even contests. The most recent went down to the final two balls of the match.

But in those five games, Colts have finished winners on four occasions. They just know how to win and they never throw in the towel. Look at last week's stunning semi-final fightback as proof of that.

So for me, if CYMS wins on Saturday then they need to do so convincingly.

Look at Newtown three seasons ago. They defeated Colts in the grand final because they blew them out of the water early and left them reeling at 5/19 early on. It might be a lot to ask CYMS to do something similar, but they are capable of it.

Earlier this week, Colts stalwart Brad Cox described CYMS' bowling attack as one of the best seen in the competition in some time. You can't argue with him. The pace of Ben Patterson, the aggression of Bailey Edmunds, Ben Knaggs' relentlessness, and then the craft and guile of Brock Larance's spin. Add in the experience and movement of Ben O'Donnell's bowling and the wicket-taking ability of Paddy Nelson and you're ticking a lot of boxes.

The one time CYMS defeated Colts this season that bowling attack did fire. Colts was restricted to 166 and CYMS raced to the total for the loss of only two wickets.

I think something similar will be needed on Saturday. Knock over Bower, Cox and Marty Jeffrey early and you're on your way.

On CYMS, Tom and I obviously have some insight here as we're both involved in the club.

As much as beating CYMS in last season's grand final meant a huge amount to Colts, it also sparked something within the Cougars.

Being around the club, the desire for premiership success is massive.

CYMS won the premiership two seasons ago without playing a grand final. They finished as minor premiers so were awarded the title when the final weeks of the season were abandoned due to COVID.

You can't say they didn't deserve that but this young side wants to prove they can win one with their actions on the field, as well.

They're definitely capable of it but I think we could go a long way to finding out who will win on Saturday within the first hour at No.1 Oval.

Given our allegiances, obviously Tom and I want our club to win a grand final.

The situation is somewhat similar for Dubbo District Cricket Association president Ben Semmler. He's an impartial figurehead for the game here but he also plays for Colts so obviously he wants to see his club reign supreme in both first and second grade this weekend.

But when talking to Benny this week he said what he wants above all else for the rain to stay away and allow us to see three great grand finals worthy of the occasion.

Can't disagree with that but I do also have to say CYMS to win.

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