Weekend Wrap: What you missed during round five of the Peter McDonald Premiership

In a stacked Group 11 competition, Parkes join Dubbo CYMS as the only side to have lost just one match this season and look like a side that could make a deep finals run.

Against a gritty Wellington outfit, the Spacies had to fight their way back to win on Sunday after the Cowboys led midway through the game.

With one of the better halfbacks in the competition leading them around the park in Chad Porter and a great forward pack, it seems Parkes has the side to match it with any team in the competition.

A tough little period awaits the group with Macquarie (away), Forbes (home) and St Pat's (away) all ahead of them across the next three rounds.

But one thing is for certain, Parkes is here to play.

DUBBO CYMS' SMALLER NAMES FIRE

Most weeks when watching Dubbo CYMS matches, it's all about Jeremy Thurston or Jyie Chapman or Claude Gordon but on Sunday against Macquarie, it was a different crew leading the way.

Jordi Madden, Alex Bonham and Claude Gordon combined well on several occasions to move Macquarie's big forward pack around, a plan which worked well.

Madden set up a try for Tom Hughes after firing a ball back in over his head as he crossed the dead ball line, a move Greg Inglis made famous back in 2008 when playing for Australia.

Hughes was solid on the wing for the Fishies and provide great yardage as did Corey Drew.

Shawn Towsend admitted his side wasn't at their best after the match but still got the job done in a scrappy affair.

It's been a massive week for Forbes referee Shanika Harpur after she returned home following a stint at NSW Rugby League headquarters.

The 22-year-old was one of two up-and-coming referees who gained the attention of Gavin Badger, a man who controlled more than 300 NRL matches during his career.

Along with Kiama's Balunn Simon, Harpur will work alongside Badger in preparing the NSW Sky Blues ahead of their first State of Origin clash on June 1.

"A big part of what I do is talent-identify referees across the state," Badger told NSWRL.

"With Shanika and Balunn they were both part of our development system, refereeing Andrew Johns-Laurie Daley Cups and SG Ball.

"So, when we put the Indigenous Academy together at the NSWRL it was a no-brainer to add those two into it.

"We had eight young officials in our first camp and those two stood out."

Often seen officiating PMP matches, it might not be long until Harpur is doing the same on a much biggest stage.

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Stop us if you have seen this movie before but Forbes is starting to show signs that they are still a powerhouse in the competition after a slow start to the season.

Without several of their starting forwards, the Magpies defeated Nyngan at Larkin Oval on Sunday, one of the toughest trips in the competition if not the hardest.

Last season's premiers have now won two of their five matches in 2023 but there is a sense of deja vu here.

The Magpies typically work their way into the season and fire at the end of the year, currently, they look like doing just that.

They haven't been too flashy or blown teams off the back but without a number of key men, Forbes is doing enough to stay in touch with the Group 11's top four, sitting one point behind both Nyngan and Wellington.

With a grand final rematch against Dubbo CYMS up next, the Magpies could send a big statement to the rest of the competition that they are still the competition's top side.

IT'S only been five rounds but it looks like Mudgee (barring anything dramatic happening) have already wrapped up top spot in the Group 10 pool.

The Dragons have been the competition's form side this season by a long way.

Currently leading the rest of Group 10 by four points on the ladder, Mudgee are building towards something special.

Making their performances even more impressive is the fact their captain-coach Clay Priest has been missing over the past few matches with an injury.

Only St Pat's look a chance of possibly catching the Dragons at the moment and funnily enough, the two sides will meet next weekend at Glen Willow Oval.

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