MOLONG Magpies' 2014 premiership winning coach Andy Hillan said his side isn't against Dubbo Rhinos joining the GrainCorp Cup southern division, but said he can see negative aspects to the move.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Central West Rugby Union (CWRU) made the decision early this week to have Rhinos' two sides play in separate GrainCorp Cup divisions - northern and southern - a move Dubbo president Ian Burns is firmly against.
With Rhinos also fielding a team in the Blowes Clothing Cup women's competition, Burns said with three sides in different places each weekend the club won't survive.
"I can definitely see where Dubbo are coming from," Hillan empathised. "It would be tough for them to do something like that, I think there is a number of teams in the southern division against it too, but apparently no one voiced that at the (annual general meeting).
"I can see positives and negatives in it, and I don't think there is much to be done about it now."
Hillan suggested the travel could become a problem for southern teams later in the competition, but countered that by saying the dismissal of the bye would benefit all the teams in his side's division.
"Some of the smaller clubs may find it difficult going to Dubbo later in the year," the Magpies' mentor said. "And it does get rid of our bye, which is good for everyone ... this would add another two games to the draw. But as I said, it seems like the decision has been made so I'm not sure there is much anyone can do about it. I think we're pretty easy on it, we'll run with whatever Central West decides."
CWRU CEO Peter Veenstra said travel was an issue closely considered for all the southern division clubs, but countered the argument by highlighting other road trips as yardsticks.
"If you look at a place like West Wyalong or Grenfell the travel time to Dubbo is within 10 minutes of those sides going to Orange and Blayney," he said.
"The board was mindful that the southern competition has had fewer teams for some time so now those sides will be able to play 14 matches instead of 12 and that was seen as a good thing as well."