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.
New coach for Hawks
REPRESENTATIVE front rower Matt Kirkwood will be Forster-Tuncurry’s captain-coach for the 2017 Group Three Rugby League season.
Kirkwood held the position briefly this year following Troy Hilder’s resignation just before the start of the season. He relinquished the role when Darrin Pettit took the reins and he steered the Hawks to the final five, where they were beaten in the elimination match by Taree City. Pettit indicated that he wasn’t interested in taking on the job next year.
Kirkwood joined the Hawks two seasons ago and has been a Group Three and North Coast representative.
The club has finalised minor grade coaches, with Vaughan Doherty in charge of reserve grade and David Elliott under 18s. Lyn Eason will coach the league tag. Elliott is a former premiership winning first grade coach.
Harrington unlikely to start in Hastings League
A LACK of takers for committee positions means Harrington Hurricanes Rugby League Club won’t be part of the Hastings League competition in 2017.
The club’s committee has had two attempts to conduct an annual meeting. However, there were no takers for any positions.
“The same people have been running the club for the past eight years,’’ president Robert McPherson said.
“We’ve had enough. But we had two attempts at an annual meeting and no-one wanted to step up. So we won’t have a club next year, which is really disappointing.’’
He said there still could be time to form a committee but it would need to be done before the Hastings League annual meeting.
The Hurricanes are the southern outpost in the league that mainly takes in clubs from the Hastings and Macleay areas. Mr McPherson said it has been a struggle at times both on and off the field since the club joined the competition after switching from rugby union.
“We usually don’t have any problems signing the number of players needed,’’ he said.
“But they don’t always turn up. Some games we only have 11.’’
Still, he said crowd support has been solid at home games and the Hurricanes have built a strong fan base. Mr McPherson said now if the supporters want to see the club in action next year, they’ll have to step and and quickly.
He can be contacted on 041 370 5962 for further details.
Meanwhile it is understood two new clubs – one from the Laurieton area and one from the Macleay, will nominate for inclusion in the 2017 Hastings League competition.