A stronger focus on development, taking things more seriously as well as being blessed to have a talented group of players that all came through at the same time.
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They are the three key aspects that resulted in Port Macquarie qualifying for three mixed division finals at the 2019 NSW State Cup.
No other affiliate has achieved the feat since the tournament went from having two mixed divisions to three five years ago.
Only a handful of others managed to have two teams progress to tournament deciders in the decade before that.
The Makos emerged with one win and two losses from the grand finals, but it didn't take away from being the end product of what the club had achieved over the last couple of years.
Port Macquarie representative coordinator Tahney Luck has seen first-hand the growth in local touch football over the past decade.
"It's probably a lot to do with the development of the club," she said.
"I've only been doing the rep position this year, but the development of players is definitely there.
"We've been trying to push that further and teach people a bit more about what the city sides are doing so that we've got more of an opportunity to compete."
Luck said the club possessed people who had the brains of touch and are trying to teach those around them to make them better players.
The result could be consistent appearances at the pointy end of the State Cup in years to come.
"It's probably got more to do with players that have made rep sides previously and have that connection with coaches from city teams who bring back to our touch community what they're doing," she said.
"Players like Aaron Ison have a relationship with Easts, so we learn a lot from them.
"With our rep players playing State of Origin and for Australia they're still constantly bringing that knowledge back to the town as well.
"They're also trying to teach our younger ones the new plays such as defensive and rucking patterns."
Luck was also a member of the Makos mixed open side who suffered a 5-4 defeat to Eastern Suburbs in the final.
"In the last six years we've been working towards getting to the grand final in the A Open so that's been a pretty big goal for us," she said.
"The mixed seniors have been going for the last few years now and have been getting stronger and stronger.
"They have a few World Cup players in their team as well and a few young guys that are coming up through the ranks."
The mixed masters shouldn't be forgotten after they suffered defeat in the final following a drop off.
"They have pretty much all the good older players that have come up through the club for years and years," Luck said.
"With a regional team starting to make their mark on the map it's helping country teams to succeed a bit more."
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