The Mudgee Dragons' bid to move to Group 11 continues what has been a "concerning" few years for the Group 10 competition.
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For the third successive year, the Dragons are aiming to switch from one Western Rams competition to another and Group 11 president Bob Walsh stated last week he expects the move to go through this time around.
If it was to happen, it would come after Cowra and Blayney failed to field first grade teams in Group 10 this year, while Oberon pulled out of the competition altogether after the 2019 season.
"When we've got clubs that can't form in the top grade it's a concern and when you've got a club that wants to leave the group it's certainly a concern," Group 10 chairman Linore Zamparini said.
"If it's an issue about something we've done or something they don't like it would be good to know, because then we'd have something to address and move forward with.
"It's disappointing ... we weren't privy to any discussions and I believe they (Mudgee) had a couple of discussions with the Group 11 board and it would have been good to be involved in some way.
"If something is broken we need to know what it is so we can rectify it and fix it."
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Should the planned western-wide Peter McDonald Premiership start next year, it would feature a Group 11 and Group 10 conference.
Mudgee moving would make it eight teams in the Group 11 conference.
Only six teams competed in Group 10 this year and Lithgow Workies failed to finish the season due to player number issues.
A number of Workies' players came from the Blue Mountains and Greater Sydney and they were all ruled out once COVID restrictions increased.
"At the moment we've got two clubs in Orange, two in Bathurst, Workies are working hard to get back into the swing of things and Cowra is reasonably confident of committing to all grades next year," Zamaprini said.
"Blayney is in the rebuilding phase for first grade and hopefully they get over the line and we'll get a competition going.
"It would be great to have Mudgee in it because it would make it better, for sure."
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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.
