The Blackheath Blackcats made a triumphant return to the Mid West Community Cup in Wallerawang on Saturday, with their Men’s Tackle and Blues Tag outfits kicking off the 2023 season with dominant victories over the Carcoar Crows.
It was the first time Blackheath had fielded sides in any competition since 2018.
It was a welcome return for the Blackcats, who were a dominant force in the competition between 1980 and 2018 after winning ten titles.
“There has been a lot of good talk around the competition, and it’s good to be back,” Blackcats captain/coach Ryan Evans said.
“We haven’t been in it since we went through undefeated in 2018, and we only really got involved this year about eight weeks out from the start of the season.”
The Blackcats men, built on a local group of players, put on a try-scoring clinic on Saturday, defeating the reigning premiers 58-12.
“We’ve got a few guys that play in different comps in town and a fair few guys who don’t play at all, and it was good to see them all come back for a run,” Evans said.
“A lot of the team have played for Blackheath previously, which is good, and having the team back up and running means they can come back and play with mates, which is what it is all about.
“It was a good win over Carcoar; we hadn’t seen much of them before, but the boys played well, and everything fell our way.”
Evans also watched an entertaining Blues Tag game, and he was proud of the Blackcats women, who scored a 36-24 win over the Crows.
“It was really good for the girls to start off with a win,” Evans said.
“They hadn’t really had a training run, and some of the girls have never played before, but they played well, and it’s good to get a win on the board and a bit of confidence.”
In other games played in Wallerawang on Saturday, the Kandos Waratahs prevailed over the Portland Colts in both grades, winning the Men’s Tackle match 26-20 and the Blues Tag fixture 30-22.
Blackheath will play host to all teams in Round Two of the Mid West Community Cup at Don Bradman Oval on Saturday.
The Blackcats tackle the Portland Colts, and Kandos Waratahs do battle with the Carcoar Crows.
“We’re certainly excited to host Round Two, especially after a good turnout last weekend,” Evans said.
“Hopefully, we can get a similar crowd, and we’ll have the canteen and bar running and hold a bit of an Old Boys day.
“We’re hoping to get a few of the old players back and watch a bit of footy on what should be a good day.”
