THERE will be a change to the procedure for the election of office bearers at Sunday’s Group Three Rugby League annual meeting to be held at the Wingham Services Club.
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Under a Country Rugby League ruling management committee members will be known as directors from Sunday. There’ll be eight in total. At the time of going to press there were nine nominations – all the incumbent members of the management.
All the group’s affiliates – the eight clubs along with the referee association and junior league will have one vote each. Previously the clubs had two.
The group will have to adopt a new constitution before to start of the annual meeting – again as a directive from the CRL.
Group Three secretary Barrie Smith admits there is some disquiet among clubs about losing some of their voting power.
“A few have said we shouldn’t vote it (the new constitution) in,’’ he said.
“But if we do that we lose the insurance along with the legal backing we could need should problems arise. It will be voted in.’’
Regional manager Kevin Hill will run the election for the board of directors. Once that has been determined Hill will chair a meeting of the eight elected directors to vote on the 2017 office bearers. Once that has been determined the board will return to the general meeting where the format for the 2017 season will be decided, including the length of the draw.
Mr Smith has said previously he favours the return to a two round draw following problems expressed this year.
Forster-Tuncurry, Taree City and Macleay Valley were all forced to forfeit minor grade matches towards the end of the season and Mr Smith believes this was a direct result of the length of the competition.
Clubs have already been sent proposed draws for the 2017 competition with Mr Smith favouring a 14-week competition that would include spare weekends to cover for washed out matches.
This year the group was forced to extend the season by a week when matches were postponed on June 4/5 because of wet weather.
Meanwhile long serving management committee member Harry Rider will step away from administration at the annual meeting.
Mr Rider has been on the management for more than 15 years and spent much of this time as treasurer.