But after leading 17-12 at half-time, the team momentarily “switched off” leaving the top-of-the-table Emus to have an unobstructed shot at victory, which they took 41-22.

The defeat slid Forbes to fifth place in the Blowes Clothing Cup and secured the greens top position alongside the Dubbo Kangaroos. 

Platypi coach Phil Prior said it was a game of two halves. 

“Every time we scored, they scored straight away, but we switched off and on,” he said. 

“It’s naïve to think the better side didn’t win but the smartest team won on the day, we did dumb things at critical times.”

After a six-game winning streak, the Platypi has endured little success in recent games but Prior said winning was definitely still in the team.

“When we stick to the game, we’re solid, we’re very solid in fact,” he said. 

“But when things don’t go to plan, we go the easy option.”

With semi-finals on the horizon, Prior stressed the importance of the last four rounds of the competition and said the Platypi’s next match against the Parkes Boars will be a game changer. 

“Our competition really starts at Parkes this weekend - the next four matches are must wins so we’ve really got to be at our best,” Prior said. 

“Mathematically, third [place] might elude us but if we target fourth we’ll get the home semi-final.”

FORBES PLATYPI 22 (Joshua Coulthurst, Greg Moxey, Kyle Sharpe and Jarrod Hall) lost to ORANGE EMUS 41 (Carter Hirini, Tim Alison, Nas Havealeta, Tom Green, Tom Goolagong, Alo Finau tries; Nigel Staniforth four goals, penalty) 

Rugby union results:

CENTRAL WEST RESULTS for Saturday, July 19:

BLOWES CLOTHING CUP:

FIRST GRADE:

ORANGE CITY LIONS 118 (Josh Tremain 4, Jake Davis 3, Cameron Cole 3, Duncan Young 2, Gus Brotherton 2, Sam Powell 2, Nick Quinn, Mitch Pearce tries; Mesui Lemoto 14 goals) def MUDGEE WOMBATS 5 (Andrew Roberts try).

ORANGE EMUS 41 (Carter Hirini, Tim Alison, Nas Havealeta, Tom Green, Tom Goolagong, Alo Finau tries; Nigel Staniforth four goals, penalty) def FORBES PLATYPI 22.

CSU BATHURST 20 (Sam Robertson, Mitch Brown, Lachie Brown tries; Pat Hill conv, pen goal) def NARROMINE 13 (Jacob Short, Tom Harrison tries; Harrison pen goal).

BATHURST BULLDOGS 27 def COWRA 21.

DUBBO KANGAROOS 49 def PARKES 3.

SECOND GRADE: Bathurst Bulldogs 43 def Cowra 12, Orange Emus 36 def Forbes 15, Orange City 70 def Mudgee 0, Dubbo Kangaroos 81 def Parkes 0, CSU Bathurst 51 def Narromine 8.

THIRD GRADE: General bye.

COLTS: Bathurst Bulldogs 40 def Cowra 0, Forbes 13 def Orange Emus 12, Orange City 32 def Mudgee 7, Dubbo Kangaroos 14 def Parkes 12, Narromine 19 def CSU Bathurst.

WOMEN’S RUGBY: Orange Emus 40 def Dubbo Rhinos 33, Cowra 61 def CSU Bathurst 7.

GRAINCORP CUP (Southern): Canowindra 31 def CSU Orange 0, Grenfell 10 def Condobolin 7, Blayney 31 def West Wyalong 5, Molong bye.