The Clayton Cup has returned to Scone for the first time in 43 years following a dominant year on the paddock from the town's rugby league club.
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The Scone Thoroughbreds have been awarded the Clayton Cup for having the best overall record in Country NSW, coming after all four of its teams won premierships in 2022.
It is just the second time since 1979 that the club has claimed the Cup.
"It is something a lot of the clubs strive to do, and it is great that we could do it this year... being the second time that Scone has ever done it is pretty special," Thoroughbreds club president Scott Pennell said.
"It was an honour that we made the Clayton Cup and a credit to... the whole club, all the boys and girls in the club in general.
"The biggest thing we are proud of is they are all local people too. Out of the 17 that were playing, 16 of them were Scone juniors.
"It is great to see a lot of people that live here still want to play at the club and it is a great club."
The Thoroughbreds were the club to beat in 2022.
All four of its teams - in ladies league tag, under-18s, reserve and first grade - were dominant in their respective Bengalla Hunter Valley Group 21 Rugby League divisions.
To top the year off, all four Thoroughbreds teams won their grand finals at Scone Park on September 4.
The ladies defeated Singleton Greyhounds 24-4 while under-18s and reserve grade each defeated the Aberdeen Tigers, 16-12 and 11-10 respectively.
In the feature clash, the Thoroughbreds led from go to whoa in front of big home crowd, and upstaged the Denman Devils 42-6.
Scone's first grade team was the benchmark side in 2022 under the guidance of former NRL star Adam Clydsdale.
Clydsdale, also the club coach, worked with Sofie Harrison, Tom Hagan and Jade Smith to guide Scone's teams to premierships in 2022.
Pennell announced at the club's presentation night on October 30 that Clydsdale has agreed to captain-coach the first grade team in 2023.
The Thoroughbreds took out the regular season 15-0 with a points differential of 602 and a mercy rule in the major semi-final.
"What a year for Scone," NSW Rugby League regional manager, Harrison Hunter, said.
"The Winx-like dominance displayed all year was well rewarded on grand final day with all four grades taking home the prize."
Running since 1937 and first awarded to West Tamworth, the Clayton Cup was donated by Reub Clayton, a former rugby league administrator in Country NSW.
The Cup is awarded to a first grade team in Country NSW that holds the best overall record for that season.
The presentation to Scone is just the second time that the Cup has been awarded by NSWRL since the CRL and NSWRL merged in 2019.
It was last awarded to the North Tamworth Bears in 2019.
The Cup was not awarded in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
