It wasn’t that long ago the Canowindra Pythons were gearing up to face the Blayney Rams in Central West Rugby Union’s GrainCorp Cup Southern Division grand final, just over 18 months ago in fact in September of 2016.

Now the club is fighting to return to the paddock after being forced to withdaw from the 2017 competition thanks to a lack of player numbers, but the Pythons have taken a number of huge steps toward that goal and will take another this weekend with the help of Eastern Suburbs.

The Beasties are taking four sides to Canowindra’s Tom Clyburn Oval for a bumper of set of trial games on Saturday afternoon, where they’ll face the Pythons and fellow GrainCorp Cup side Molong, along with 2017 Blowes Clothing Cup runners-up Orange Emus.

Easts’ under-10 outfit is making the 300 kilometre trip as well, with the day continuing Beasties’ commitment to country rugby – particularly the Central West – and acting as the perfect pre-cursor to the Beasties’ Shute Shield clash in Orange later this year as well.

“After we saw the SBS documentary on the Pythons folding, we thought we might be able to help by playing a trial out there. There’d be no point taking a mid-season game there if Canowindra didn’t have a team,” Easts president John Murray enthused.

“The club has reinvigorated itself and the Pythons will field a team this weekend and have nominated for the GrainCorp Cup (in 2018), which is just great news.

“Originally we were only sending thirds and fourths, but then it snowballed, everyone got excited and we’ve got a few more teams heading out which is really exciting.”

While Murray’s undeniably eager, his excitement levels don’t match that of Canowindra president Jack Beath.

“I’m hopeful that we drag a really big crowd. It’s a huge day for Canowindra and a great day for the Pythons,” Beath told Fairfax Media.

“Having Easts bringing three grades, it’s about 80 plus players on its own. There should be some good talent on show.”

Former Wallaby Cameron Shepherd, a veteran of 78 Super Rugby appearance and nine Tests, will lend a hand on Saturday as well, he’ll run two junior clinics in between games.

Emus and Easts will kick the day off at 2.45pm, with the first of Shepherd’s clinics to run an hour later.

Easts’ fourth XV faces Molong from 4pm, before the under-10 game at 5pm. Shepherd’s kicking clinic starts at 5.40pm, before the Pythons face the Beasties’ fifths from 5.45pm.

“I’m not sure what to expect. I know Emus were in the [Blowes Clothing Cup] grand final last year so they should be strong,” Murray said.

“That game, against our third XV, might be pretty tight. We had a few guys released from the second and first grade squads, they were big groups, so there’s a few disappointed kids who will really want to put on a good show I think.”