The Bulls have been forced to forfeit reserve grade on Sunday to Port City citing a lack of players. Taree’s reserve grade sits in second last spot and is well out of contention for a playoff berth. Bridge said a lack of numbers is impacting heavily on a first grade team battling to secure fourth position for the semi-finals and so gaining a home semi-final.

The Bulls will be without regular first graders Nathan Maher, Luke Murray and possibly Thomas Berry for Sunday.

“We had 10 first graders there for training on Tuesday night and two reserve graders,’’ he said.

“We're running out of players at the wrong time of the year.’’

He said the Bulls have lost players this year who were unable to secure a first grade spot.

“That annoys me, this is a club sport, it’s not just about individuals,’’he said.

“Once it was no train no play and there was still plenty of players. These days there isn’t the commitment from some players, they just want to turn up and play without putting the effort in.

“The thing is if some of these players had kept training and playing they’d be in line for first grade now.’’

​The Bulls and Forster-Tuncurry will finish fourth and fifth. Both now have 32 points. The Hawks should beat Macleay Valley on Sunday, although at home the Mustangs would be expected to field more players than at Wingham last Saturday when beaten 86-18.

Forster plays Wingham in the last round while Taree City faces Old Bar at Old Bar.

WINGHAM can take a step closer to securing second spot on the Group Three ladder by accounting for Old Bar in the clash at Old Bar tomorrow.

The Tigers are in third place, one adrift of Port City. However, Wingham has a game to play next week while the Breakers finalise commitments after Sunday's match against Taree City. Wingham also has a superior for and against percentage than Port following the 86-18 demolition of the hapless Macleay Valley last Saturday.

However, Wingham captain-coach Kurt Lewis warned that Old Bar will be a tough opponent.

“There was only a few points in the last two games we played against them and they were at Wingham,’’ he said.

“Just because their season is over it won’t stop them from trying.’’

Meanwhile the Tigers have injury concerns for Saturday’s match.

Hooker Mitch Collins and second rower Shannon Ellem both failed to see last week’s game out, Collins with an ankle concern and Ellem with a dislocated finger.

“They both want to play,’’ Lewis said.

“But I’m not going to risk them at this stage of the year.

ONE thing has become apparent to Old Bar coach Col Lucas during the Group Three Rugby League season – there’s a fine line between success and failure.

Lucas can reel off a litany of close results that have gone against the Pirates this year.

“We lead Forster 21-20 and lose in the final 30 seconds; we had our chance to win when we drew with Wauchope; Macleay got us just before fulltime; we had a chance to draw against Taree City and Wingham,’’ Lucas mused.

“I know sides make their own luck, but we've had our share of bad luck. if we’d won a few of those games we’d still be a chance for the five.’’

The Pirates will finish the season with games against Wingham tomorrow and Taree City next week. Both will be at Old Bar.

“We’ve had two pretty close games against Wingham and they’ve both been at Wingham, so it will be good to have a go against them out here,'’ Lucas said.

Lucas will again start three under 18s off the bench in first grade. Josh Starr, Luke Polson and Lon Clarke will all play in the junior game, where the Pirates have to win to cement a top five spot.

Veteran Ken Kerr will again help the club out by filling a centre spot, although Lucas isn't sure who his partner will be in the three-quarter line with the club struggling for outside backs because of injury.