It's largely been justified as well, as the Tigers have been up against clubs from much larger towns and cities in both Group 11 and now in the Peter McDonald Premiership.

But this season is a different one for the Tigers' under 18s side.

With two rounds remaining in the Western Premiership competition the Tigers are on top of the ladder, ahead of teams from major western centres like Dubbo, Bathurst and Orange.

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It's not a fluke, as the Nyngan club has put a real emphasis on junior development in recent times and that, combined with the passionate support of a footy mad community, is helping the youngsters dream of creating history and becoming the first team to win the inaugural edition of the western-wide competition which has brought together teams from Group 11 and Group 10.

"You don't want to let them have that attitude of 'well we've got this far and it's a credit getting this far'," co-coach Troy Richards said.

"I said to the boys one day we think we're the underdogs but these teams are probably more worried about us than most of the other under 18s teams.

"We've got expectations and these boys aren't little kids any more. The town knows we can do it."

There's belief in Nyngan and more than 300kms south there's a similar feeling at the Cowra Magpies.

While Cowra's population of roughly 10,000 is still far greater than the 2500 at Nyngan, there are real similarities between the clubs.

Cowra has long punched above its weight against the likes of Bathurst sides Panthers and Pat's and Orange pair CYMS and Hawks in Group 10, and the under 18s are doing so again this season in the Western Premiership.

The Magpies are currently second in the Group 10 pool, trailing only Panthers, and have produced some brilliant performances in 2022.

One of the best came on Saturday, when the young Magpies became the first team to keep Dubbo CYMS to single digits and knocked the Fishies from top spot after a 16-8 victory.

Much like at Nyngan, Cowra's first grade side is in a rebuilding phase and won't play finals this year so the focus for the one-club community has become the under 18s side.

"The first thing I said to the boys back at the start of the year when we started training was 'boys, who wants to win the comp?'," Cowra under 18s coach Ken McNamara said.

"We all agreed that was the aim and it's been the plan since January, we want to win the comp.

"A lot of us will be going our different ways after this with university and leaving town so this is a big opportunity. You've got to try and take those opportunities so that's the aim."

When Richards and McNamara talk about the players they mentor there's plenty of similarities.

One of the biggest is how they describe the juniors as "great kids" or "great young men".

Both sets of players have put their clubs first this year and backed up and played plenty of reserve grade and first grade due to the respective senior sides being ravaged by injuries.

Richards admits if one or two of his better players got injured playing up it would likely ruin to premiership hopes of his under 18s side and it's the same situation at Cowra.

The injury crisis at Cowra forced the club to hold an emergency meeting earlier this month to decide whether the first grade side could go on.

One of the real concerns was whether the extra workload would negatively impact the under 18s players, but the club has opted to soldier on.

"For a lot of smaller towns, when you get a group of boys who have got quite a lot of skill and are desperate to do well and improve ... you've got to get on the back of those opportunities," McNamara said.

"The smaller clubs don't have the success as often as the bigger towns so when a team comes through and has some success you've got to get on them and support them because they can bring a fair bit of joy to those towns."

It doesn't take much for Nyngan supporters to get behind the Tigers.

The passionate fanbase which makes it presence felt at home at Larkin Oval and during away games has long been a point of pride for the club.

The Tigers faithful is right behind the under 18s, who look likely to be the only Nyngan side which plays finals football this year.

"The (league tag) girls' numbers have always been there but in first grade and reserves it's been a tough year. The young fellas have been the backbone of the club, really," Richards said.

"Nyngan has always had really good supporters. I'm 50 years of age and I can remember my junior days in Group 15, travelling away on the bus and we were getting good support.

"We've always had the good supporters, whether it's league tag or under 18s or reserve grade or a first grade grand final.

"Footy means a lot to the town."

The current Tigers team is one easy to like as well.

Richards has coached plenty of junior footy sides and he admits the 2022 under 18s team isn't the most naturally talented he's worked with.

But the desire and determination, as well as the commitment to the club, is what sets this group of young Tigers apart.

"I've never seen a gutsier under 18s side," Richards said.

"When you consider they've been playing reggies and first grade to support the seniors and are still winning in under 18s ... they've been helping the club.

"If we do get beat, it won't be because we didn't have a 100 per cent crack at it. It will be because a side was too good for us on the day. I know one thing, they won't chuck the towel in."

That's not to say there isn't highly-skilled players at Nyngan this season.

Tyrone Tattersall and Will Black both impressed for the Western Rams this year while Braith Boyd and captain Aidan Bermingham have also shone.

With testing matches against Group 11 top four rivals Macquarie and Forbes to come in the next two weeks, and then finals football, that determination in the side is what could make all the difference for the Tigers.

There's exciting players at the Magpies as well.

Captain Tom Negus has been brilliant in black and white this season while fellow forward Nickolas Oresic is another to watch, along with halves Mikey McNamara and Ryan Carroll and powerful outside back Jacob Haeata.

Cowra has a sightlier easier path to the finals with matches against Mudgee and Orange Hawks to come, but after seeing his side bounce back from a slump and defeat CYMS last weekend McNamara knows his side can't drop off again.

Pleasingly for him, his players feel the same.

"They're a pretty determined bunch and they don't like losing," the coach said.