He's starred during the Bathurst Bulldogs' dominant start to the Blowes Cup season and now Brad Glasson will be tasked with getting Central West back to the summit of bush rugby.
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Glasson will likely start in the number 10 jersey for the Blue Bulls this weekend as they chase Caldwell Cup redemption at Tamworth.
Central West was gunning for a third straight country championships crown last season but suffered a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Central Coast in the grand final.
The bulk of the squad will be back on deck this season, but Glasson could be a new face in one of the key roles.
Glasson has been at fly-half for a Bulldogs side which has won eight-from-eight this season and has scored more than 30 points in all but one match in 2023.
Bulldogs' unbeaten start to the Blowes Cup season has been rewarded with five players earning Central West selection.
Experienced campaigner Peter Fitzsimmons is set to line up at hooker again while Adam Plummer, Matt Trapp and Joel Harper are also in the mix.
There are four Dubbo Kangaroos in the squad, which is being coached by Boorowa's Andrew Corcoran for the first time, as well as three each from Orange Emus, Orange City and Cowra.
The Blue Bulls squad is predominantly made-up of players from the premier Blowes Cup, but Parkes' representative stalwart Mahe Fangupo earned selection, as did Johnny Mafiti from the Geurie Goats, Charlie Brown from the Harden Red Devils, Cam Stanley from the Cootamundra TriColours and the Young Yabbies pair of Will Wennerbom and Will Munday.
The women's and colts sides have also been named ahead of the long weekend carnivals at Tamworth and both are dominated by the Dubbo Kangaroos.
Nine women will be part of the Central West Bullettes squad which is aiming for a fourth successive Thomson Cup crown while 13 Roos young guns - led by regular first grader Nate Ambler - will be part of the colts squad which contests the Rowlands Cup.
The Roos are currently unbeaten and top of the table in both the Westfund Ferguson Cup women's competition and the Blowes Cup Colts.
In total, more than a third of all players selected for the three Central West squads play their club footy for the Roos.
The women's side is targeting a fourth successive Thomson Cup crown but almost half the squad has changed since last season.
Despite that, coaches Gus McDonald, Kieren Smith and Matt Waterford will fancy their chances of success with a squad dominated by Westfund Ferguson Cup heavyweight Dubbo and Bathurst.
The men and women's sides will play pool games on Saturday and those results will dictate Sunday's fixtures and finals.
The colts competition only consists of three sides - Central West, Hunter Wildfires and Central Coast - and those three sides play each other twice across two days in a round robin format, with the best-performing team named champions.
Central West squads
- CALDWELL CUP: Peter Fitzsimmons, Brad Glasson, Adam Plummer, Matt Trapp, Joel Harper (Bathurst Bulldogs), Charlie French (Forbes Platypi), Josh Tremain, Logan Buckley, Fletcher Rose (Orange City), Harry Cummins, Dan Jackson, Josh Bass (Orange Emus), Tim Beach, Jake Styles, Will Michell, Calub Cook (Dubbo Kangaroos), Blake Tidswell, Damian Michael, Noah Ryan (Cowra Eagles), Charlie Brown (Harden Red Devils), Mahe Fangupo (Parkes Boars), Johnny Mafiti (Geurie Goats), Cam Stanley (Cootamundra TriColours), Will Wennerbom, Will Munday (Young Yabbies).
- THOMSON CUP: Janalee Conroy, Lakeisha Hull, Alahna Ryan, Lala Lautaimi, Danielle Plummer, Bec Bergmann, Darby Richardson, Savannah Dymock, Jean Littlewood (Dubbo Kangaroos), Kate Gullifer, Sarah Colman, Lily McIntosh, Tiana Anderson, Camille Reid, Marita Shoulders, Ebony Fenton, Bryde Comiskey, Paris Campion, Mel Waterford (Bathurst Bulldogs), Emily Gobourg (Orange Emus), Holly Jones (Orange City), Helen Blackmore (Mudgee Wombats), Maddie Douglas (Cootamundra TriColours), Becky O'Connor (Young Yabbies), Louise McCabe (West Wyalong Redbacks).
- ROWLANDS CUP: Drew Moulder, Tom Shields, Beau McKenzie, Tim Harrison, Elias Sarantzouklis, Jayden Fox, Campbell Watts, Billy Whillock, Zane Boss, Coen Austin, Harrison Austin, Tommy Foran, Nate Ambler (Dubbo Kangaroos), Xavier Gosewisch, Finn Taylor, Fin Morris (Orange Emus), Harrison Nowlan, James Patterson (Bathurst Bulldogs), Ollie Livingstone (Orange City), Harrison Corke, Jock Moss (Forbes Platypi), Seth Berridge, Jordyn Richards, Tommy Durrant (Mudgee Wombats), Josh Chalker (Cowra Eagles).
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
