Woodbridge Cup draw expected next week

The Grenfell Goannas and other clubs in the 2024 Woodbridge Cup competition can expect to see this season's draft draw in the next week. Woodbridge president Andrew Pull hopes to send the draw to clubs before releasing it for general distribution later in February. The Cowra Magpies join the Woodbridge Cup this season after deciding against fielding a senior reserve grade team in the Peter McDonald Cup this year. Joining Cowra as first timers in Woodbridge will be the Blayney Bears in 2024. Another former Group 10 Club, the Oberon Tigers also now play in the competition. In addition to fielding a senior side the Magpies will also field Youth League and League Tag sides in the 2024 Woodbridge Cup. Ideally Cowra and Canowindra rugby league fans would like to see the two sides take on each other in round one but this looks unlikely, according to Pull. Other match ups Cowra league fans would be looking forward to would be games against traditional rivals Oberon and Blayney. The three sides, look at this stage, like taking each other on twice during the 15 round regular season. "Clubs had until 15th of January to get their special requests in," Pull said. "I've done about half the draw and still have a bit of tinkering to do." He expects this to take place in the next week before sending the draw to the 14 clubs fielding sides in the competition. "We have a 15 round comp. Everyone plays each other once which takes up 13 rounds. Then we have two rounds which are either local derbies or special requests," he said. "For example Cowra will play Blayney and Oberon twice which will be the old group 10 foes. "It'll be local derbies or grudge matches," he said of the extra two rounds. Those games aside the match sure to attract plenty of interest will be the Canowindra and Cowra encounter, especially with a number of Cowra based players turning out for the Tigers and at least one former Tiger expected to return to the Magpies this year. "It would be a cracker to have first round but I don't think it is going to fall into place," Pull said.