Parkes Spacemen-Forbes Magpies derby clash shows best of bush footy

The Parkes back-rower sprinted across the field, jumped the fence and was mobbed by fans who came teeming down the hill.

It was a lot of love being shown towards a man who had never played a game in the western area, let alone Parkes, prior to last year.

You can mark it down as one of the more iconic moments of the 2023 Peter McDonald Premiership season and the showing of pure jubilation was an example of what makes the annual long weekend derby clash between Parkes and Forbes, and bush footy in general, so special.

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It was also a moment Parkes great Dennis Moran would have been able to understand as he watched on.

A true bush footy icon, Moran was among those back at Pioneer Oval on Sunday to celebrate the club's 2010 and 2013 Group 11 premiership wins.

Like Wardle, Moran wasn't a local who rose through the ranks at Parkes.

The diminutive playmaker hailed from Armidale and represented the Parramatta Eels and played in the English Super League before returning to bush footy with the Spacemen in 2009.

He spent nine memorable years with the Spacemen, winning the two titles and three Group 11 player of the year gongs along the way.

"I didn't get to play for my home town but you get that passion to win when they adopt you in the town," Moran said on Sunday.

Moran arrived at a time when the Parkes Spacemen were rebuilding. You can almost guarantee he would have had some moments early in his Parkes career when he was questioning things. Was it the right move leaving the English Super League for this? But the Spacies fans wrapped their arms around and then he gave them reason to turn up week in, week out.

Now there's someone like Wardle.

Just a few weeks ago he spoke about how much Parkes and bush footy meant to him. Wardle lost his father when he was just a teenager while he also lost mates to suicide, so he wanted to get out of Sydney.

On a day like Sunday you could have popped a crown on him and called him the Prince of Parkes. No doubt those fans in red, white and blue would have bent the knee as well.

That's what days like Sunday are all about.

The annual long weekend fixture always draws one of the best crowds of the season but even by its lofty standards, 2023 was big.

The gate takings were roughly $12,000 and cars were parked right around the ground and well out into Alexandra Street.

Horns were honking and heckles were being thrown while the Spacemen old boys and those back in town for the reunion watched on with a beer (or three).

There was plenty to smile about at full-time after the Spacies scored a 28-18 victory, ensuring bragging rights over those 30kms down the Newell Highway for now at least.

Neither the 2010 or 2013 grand finals were against Forbes, but when else would you have held a reunion?

"I haven't been able to celebrate too many grand final wins. We never won too many," Moran said.

"But coming back out here, it's always a special place. I was here for 10 years and it's good to be here for the Parkes-Forbes game.

"It's always a good rivalry and there's always a lot of entertainment."

Joe Spicer, who was part of both the 2010 and 2013 sides and is also a former Spacemen president, was one of the main organisers of the reunion.

The 10-year celebrations of the 2010 title - the club's first since 1996 - were ruined by COVID but Spicer was never going miss the chance to bring those mates back together.

The 2010 title was special as a powerful Spacemen side lived up to the hype and scored a 32-12 win over Wellington but the 2013 title is the one which means the most to all involved.

Youngsters like Chad Porter, Brandon Paige and Jake Dooley were part of that side and are still Spacemen now, and having that strong local contingent led by Pat Rosser and Moran made a shock victory over Dubbo CYMS all the more special.

"Although we didn't play Forbes in either grand final, it was obvious to pick this weekend," Spicer said.

"It's pretty special how big the crowd is so it was an easy choice to try and get the two teams together."

You couldn't have wanted a better picture of bush footy on Sunday.

Cars up on the hill around the ground always adds to the image while each of the four games on the day delivered.

Forbes scored a long-awaited win over Parkes in the league tag while there were thrilling draws in both under 18s and reserve grade.

The atmosphere was already electric when first grade kicked off, and late in the game when Forbes scored to spark hopes of a comeback, the noise on Magpie hill was the type you normally only hear in September.

It wasn't just someone like this reporter on the sideline who was marvelling at the crowd, either.

"I was surprised. I've never played in front of a crowd this big before," Parkes prop Takitai Mapapalangi said post-game.

"I walked out and saw all the cars around and thought 'holy shit'. Every hit, every run, you could hear the crowd. Just an amazing atmosphere to be around."

There's still a number of issues with the Peter McDonald Premiership - the draw and finals system among those - but having one competition covering such a large area of rugby league heartland is a massive thing.

What other competition can have matches like Sunday's southern derby as well as fierce rivalry clashes in Dubbo, Bathurst and Orange? The atmosphere at places like Wellington and Nyngan this season as their passionate fanbases enjoy their respective clubs' revivals is also a huge plus for the competition.

Days like Sunday would be the envy of just about every other competition in the bush.

We've had clubs fold throughout country rugby league and there's no denying teams and associations out this way need a hand.

But sometimes it's nice to just enjoy what this game has to offer.

Much like Will Wardle at full-time, let's just embrace that.

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