WHEN Jack Keppel guided his penalty goal attempt through the sticks in the final minute of this year's New Holland Cup grand final against Narromine, it ended CSU's 15-year title drought and triggered huge celebrations.
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But that remarkable 30-29 win over the Gorillas at Cale Oval - a venue CSU had not previously won a New Holland Cup match at - also triggered something else. A desire for the students to return to the top flight of Central West Rugby Union.
After struggling through season 2017 - the students' first XV winning just three of 18 games - CSU opted to drop to the second-tier New Holland Cup competition when it was introduced for 2018.
That move has not only seen CSU become much more competitive - they made the preliminary final in the inaugural competition before being crowned premiers this season - but it has led to greater player depth.
Those twin factors give CSU vice-president Daniel Adamson hope the students can return to the top tier Blows Clothing Cup in the not too distant future.
"I think our goal is to get back up to that top tier competition that we once were a part of," he said. "Like hell yeah it was great that we won the second tier comp and we want to win it again so we can be recognised and look at going back up to the top for all three grades.
"We genuinely believe that one day we could go back up to that top tier because you want to play against the best."
This season CSU had a side in the women's Ferguson Cup competition as well as a first and second grade outfit.
In contrast Blowes Clothing Cup heavyweights Bathurst Bulldogs had teams in five grades - also having colts and thirds in action.
"More people in the club means a more successful club. That's our goal, we want more young, quality players coming through so we can build and develop and then in that near future be in that top tier again," Adamson said.
"Attendances at the university absolutely fell around 2017, a lot of people stopped living on campus, on-line uni is becoming a heap more popular thing now. But uni numbers now are starting to rise back up again slowly.
"So obviously we took a hit over a couple of years and had a few seasons of not playing that good a footy too. But now we've built a bit of a platform and know exactly what to do and how to win footy games.
"It's good to see that people realise the success we are having and that we are slowly growing as as club."
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