When the final whistle sounded at Parkes on Sunday there was one thing Jess Ashcroft wanted.
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"I couldn't wait to get in the change rooms and sing our song," the Lachlan District captain said.
The win for Lachlan's open-age side over Mudgee on Saturday was is first since entering the Western Women's Rugby League competition this season.
"We were pretty stoked," Ashcroft said, adding it meant plenty to sing the song for the first time.
"I think we're just gelling as a team. Because half of us haven't played before and we've always played against each other.
"I think we're just start to realise and work out what we can do."
Lachlan's debut season in the WWRL has been a success.
The under 18s side sits top of the ladder in its competition after five rounds while the under 12s and 14s are in their respective top fours.
Then open-age side getting on the board is the latest highlight for a club which was designed to give more girls and women in the region the chance to play rugby league.
Ashcroft is someone who played rugby league while growing up at Forbes and played tackle from the under 7s through to under 12s before she had to give it away as girls are currently not allowed to play tackle with the boys after that age group.
"Now there's opportunities and even for the older women too," Ashcroft said.
A number of players from the unbeaten under 18s side stepped up and played opens again on Sunday and were key to the side's success against Mudgee.
Flying fullback Elizabeth MacGregor and Teagan Smede both scored tries in the victory while Charli Robinson, Georgia Cole, Kirby Maslin and Maely MacGregor also contributed to the success.
"They're freaks. I'll tell you that right now," Ashcroft said of the club's rising stars.
While the teenage contingent was key on Saturday, they weren't the only standouts.
Second-rower Erica Stevenson scored a try in the win and so did India Draper.
Draper, the 2023 Group 11 league tag player of the year, missed the loss to the Wiradjuri Goannas a week prior but was moved to the halves on Sunday and had a big say on proceedings.
Next up for Lachlan is the huge challenge of travelling to Bathurst and taking on a competition-leading Panorama side which proved far too strong for the Goannas on the weekend.
Lachlan will be big outsiders but Ashcroft knows her players will again give their all and the focus for the captain and the club is on much more than next weekend's match.
"Every week everyone is learning and you can tell because they show it on the weekend," Ashcroft said of her teammates.
"In the coming years or even next year, if we have the same team, I think we can go pretty far.
"If we can get another win or even just keep the improvement happening within the club before the season finishes it will be good."
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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.
