Moree coach Jack Travers believes their drought-breaking 2023 triumph could be the beginning of another golden period.
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The Bulls are arguably the most successful club of the last 65 years of the Central North competition.
Since 1957 they have lifted the Heath Shield, now, 17 times, and have twice won three or more premierships in-a-row (in 2004 they shared it with Narrabri).
In the aftermath of their 28-17 win over Pirates to secure their first title since 2013, Travers said he expects them to only get better and believes the potential is there for the current incarnation to replicate the deeds of those lauded Bulls teams of the past.
"It's exciting to see where this team can go moving forward," he said.
The age of the side, with the majority in their early-mid 20s, and the fact that so many of them are Moree boys that have returned home, means they could be together for a while yet.
"We're just getting started," he said.
"We're certainly not taking this as a one off."
"We want to go again next year."
The win was for all of the side their first title success, in first grade at least, in Bulls' colours.
"It was really good to see these guys get their first premiership," Travers said.
"Moree's had such a successful history and many of the boys have grown up through those golden eras and would have listened to countless stories around the kitchen table or at the pub."
"Now they've finally got their first, so they're up there with those teams that have come before them."
In his second year in charge, Travers said taking over last season it was pretty easy to see that the talent was there in the side.
"But we just needed to lift our standards and hold ourselves a little bit more accountable," he said.
They would go on to fall just short of reaching the finals.
Speaking before this year's finals series started, he said that disappointment was a huge motivation for them this year.
One of the things that really hurt them last year was a slow start to the season. This year they were in the top four from early in the season and never really dropped out of it.
"We had a tough draw. We had to play Inverell, Pirates, Gunnedah, Narrabri and Walcha in the first five games back-to-back so we knew it was going to be really tough," Travers said.
"So we had a few trial games, and that was to blow the cobwebs out so hopefully by the time we hit round one we were right to go."
Other than that it was just really a matter of building on the foundation they laid last year.
"It's just great to see the progression of the team," he said.
"A victory like the [preliminary final], last year we wouldn't have won the game."
The Bulls will have another chance to celebrate their achievement at their presentation night this coming Saturday (October 7).
