Mudgee’s Mixed Open team created history at the Covid-19 2020 State Cup in Port Macquarie.
The Mudcrabs finished fourth in the state; their best finish in the division, eclipsing their fifth-placed finish in 2018.
Mudgee’s ambition was to finish in the top four of NSW in the mixed open competition and they could have gone further if only they didn’t come up against the red-hot Hills Hornets side made up entirely of former Easts Roosters and Port Macquarie Makos stars; two sides that have dominated the mixed division in recent years.
Hills went on to win the final, 3-2, against Wallsend.
The Mudcrabs’ path to the final was not a complicated one.
Seeded third, they finished on top of Pool C after racking up four wins and a draw from their five games.
Their 12-0 thumping of Norths Bears (2) in their final pool match put Mudgee on top of the ladder ahead of Doyalson on for-and-against.
Mudgee and the Dragons had a 7-all draw in the round games.
In addition, the Mudcrabs’ recorded resounding wins over Manly (8-4), Berkeley Vale (6-3) and Canterbury (5-2).
In the quarter-final, Mudgee defeated Hornsby by one try in a nail-biting match.
The purple and black knew they were up against a strong outfit in the Hornets. Mudgee stuck with the favourites for most of the match as they were levelled with only a few minutes to go.
Some late tries to Hills saw them pull away to a 7-4 victory.
With another representative season over, the mixed side can be proud of their efforts having finished runners-up at the Country Championships and coming in the top four of the state.
