Group 11 secretary Paul Loxley is confident clubs will continue to field sides across all grades in the future despite it being confirmed the Dubbo Westside under 18s team won't run out in 2019.
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The move was confirmed during a Group 11 tele-conference on Tuesday night, with a lack of numbers at Westside forcing the club to scrap its junior side.
In previous years, Group 11 by-laws stated any club which failed to feature in all grades wouldn't be able to take part in the competition. However, Loxley said for the good of the game that is now not the case.
Rumours swirled about a number of club's junior numbers during the off-season and to combat that, Group 11 through discussions with the Country Rugby League's Peter Clarke decided to allow clubs to still compete should they fail to field a side after exhausting every avenue.
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"It was brought up at a meeting that the by-laws have stated you needed all four sides," Loxley said.
"But 'Clarkey' and the CRL have said to do what is best for the game and when making this decision we saw Westside did all it could.
"We don't want to lose a side to the Castlereagh League and they might not have even wanted them.
"Moving forward, any decision will be based on each individual circumstance and it will be determined by what each club has done to address the issue."
The new season starts this weekend, with Westside playing host to Parkes at No. 1 Oval.
The Parkes under 18s side will now have a bye in round one and that will be the case for each under 18s side which was scheduled to play Westside throughout the season.
We want kids to play and to be happy.
- Group 11 secretary Paul Loxley
The under 18s side with the bye each week will be awarded two competition points.
Starting times of other games will now have to be adjusted in game days involving Westside but there had been no confirmation of that at this stage.
Loxley and the Rabbitohs also confirmed the handful of juniors Westside did have will now play with Narromine after the Jets also struggled to attract players during the off-season.
"We're disappointed but we've got to look after the players' welfare and well-being," Westside secretary Brooke Mallison said.
"This wasn't a decision we made lightly. We did a lot of work and thinking on how we could get a junior side but when you haven't got the players, you haven't got the players.
"The amount work done off the field has been unbelievable in trying to get things up and running ... but you can't do it with just six players."
The players moving to Narromine means the Jets numbers are stable without being booming. To compensate for that Group 11 will allow junior sides to play modified matches will less players on the field if it is required in 2019.
That decision has been made to boost sides like Narromine after the young Jets failed to win a game last year and finished the season with a differential of -384.
"We've prided ourselves on clubs fielding all four sides and it's been a discussion point in recent years," Loxley said.
"But the issue has been that teams like Narromine last year fronted up each week and played their hearts out but got flogged. That's not good for the game, not good for the kids and it's not good for player retention.
"We want kids to play and to be happy and maybe this season a side like Nyngan might find it hard at times too and this (playing with less players) will take the pressure off sides.
"They'll still chase players each week but they'll know they can get a game on more equal terms."
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
