The club has been debited six competition points and fined $500 by the Mid North Coast Zone executive officer, Bob Wilson, for its belated decision to forfeit on the afternoon of their clash with the Manning River Ratz in Taree early this month, almost certainly costing them a semi-final position.

Myall’s “Beyond Blue Day” game against the Old Bar Clams is expected to proceed as scheduled on Saturday at their home ground of Myall Park, but there is no certainty the club will play their following away games against Forster-Tuncurry at Tuncurry tomorrow week and against Gloucester at Gloucester on July 30. 

Last month’s action of coach, Hugh Gordon, a former first grade hooker with the Gordon Highlanders club in Sydney, in calling for the resignation of Myall’s president and M.N.C. director, Ian Felton, precipitated the declining fortunes of the Mud Crabs.

The demand was made without consultation with other club committee members, but Mr Felton responded by promptly standing down from the club although his submission of resignation from the M.N.C. Zone board was refused by Mr Wilson.

Such is the antipathy of some players to travel long distances to away games, such their aversion that it led to the division of the M.N.C. Zone into two separate competitions in 2008.

It would be a tragedy if the Myall Coast club, which began its inaugural year of 2012 with a stunning premiership win under the coaching mantle of Ian Felton, ended its season in such a broken-spirited manner.

With club officials few and far between and their financial position parlous, there would be little chance of the club continuing next winter. The local rugby league club provides staff to run the canteen for rugby union games at Myall Park – and retains the proceeds.

The club’s difficulties began last year when their major sponsor and important employer of several players, the local Tea Gardens Hotel, changed hands.                                    

Subsequently, the outstanding backrower and local Myall Coast rugby product, Michael Howell, returned from France where he had been playing professional rugby, paid his $100 subscription to the Mud Crabs upon being offered the captaincy only to throw in his lot with the Maitland Blacks club.

So impressive has Howell been for Maitland that he won a position on the blind side flank of the N.S.W. Country Cockatoos  representative team and retained it with his rousing performances.

The concern surrounding Myall Coast’s future has over-shadowed the clash of last season’s grand finalists, the unbeaten Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins and the fourth-placed Gloucester Cockies, at Gloucester Park.

The Dolphins hope to have flankers Brad Murray and Tom Homer, lock Lachlan Daczko and utility back Mark Colless back in action tomorrow, but have lost utility back Jonathon Paff for the season with a broken arm.

The Cockies began the season poorly with a number of young players having their initial experience of first grade rugby and were sufficiently light on numbers to forfeit to the Dolphins last month. They should be stronger at their home ground venue tomorrow.

Saturday’s 12th round draw is: Gloucester v Forster-Tuncurry at Gloucester; Myall Coast v Old Bar at Myall Park, Hawks Nest; Manning River v Wallamba at Taree.

MANNING Ratz coach Jake Maurirere will shift prop Wayne Gahan back No 8 to cover for unavailable skipper Sam Hartnett for tomorrow’s Lower North Coast Rugby Union clash against second placed Wallamba at Taree Rugby Park.

While Gahan, a relative newcomer to rugby, has never played the position, Maurirere is confident he’ll handle the switch.

“Gahanie’s been training there and he picks things up pretty quickly,’’ Maurirere explained.

However, he admits the Ratz will miss their captain’s leadership skills along with his drive in the forwards. Dave Rees will lead the side in Hartnett’s absence.

The Ratz have virtually secured third spot on the ladder with three weeks remaining before the playoffs.

“Mathematically we can still make second, but we’d need a lot of results to go our way,’’ Maurirere said.

The Ratz were thrashed by Wallamba in the first round but had the better of the second round clash played under lights when beaten 9-5. They kept the Bulls try-less and were beaten by three penalty goals.

Manning had their biggest win of the season when crushing Gloucester last weekend and Maurirere said building momentum for the semi-finals will be a priority.