To nobody’s surprise, the Camden Rams rugby league first grade have taken out the minor premiership of the 2024 Macarthur Conference competition.
Rams didn’t just finish first, with daylight second.
The Camden club went through the entire season undefeated, winning every one of the 16 games they played.
They scored 689 points, which maybe a record of some kind, and conceded just 120: that’s a differential of a massive 569 points and possibly another one for the record books.
Camden finished first on 36 points, with the nearest rival, second placed The Oaks Tigers, on 29 points.
In their last game, on Sunday (pictured), Camden smashed Picton Magpies 64-8.
The Rams will now sit back and watch the semi finals this Sunday when Thirlmere Roosters will take on Mittagong in the elimination final (1.15pm), followed by The Oaks Tigers versus neighbours Oakdale Workers (3pm) in a qualifying final clash.
The Dudley Chesham Sports Ground at The Oaks will be the venue for both matches.
In the other final round matches of Macarthur Conference the Tigers defeated the Goannas 28-16, the Kangaroos lost at home to the Roosters 26-16, Workers defeated Collegians 38-24 and the Eagles also lost at home to the Lions 30-12.
The season was marked by the improvement of the South West Goannas, who were booted out of the competition before a ball was kicked, but reinstated on appeal.
The three Campbelltown clubs, Eagles, Collegians and the Kangaroos finished in sixth, seventh and eighth place respectively.
It will be interesting to see how they respond next season.
The wooden spoon went to the Narellan Jets, who won just one game all season, but can at least say they fought all the way in every game they played.
The only question remaining is: can anyone stop Camden from walking away with the 2024 premiership?
Time will tell.
Camden are getting the benefits of the huge growth in population and being the only club in the town compared to say Campbelltown who have to fund three full clubs which includes a full range of Women’s and junior Leagues .
Time will change this as some of the new suburbs like Oran Park develop to first grade and a full junior and women’s team