OLD Bar coach and president Jamie Moorehead believes Group Three should move quickly to establish a women’s rugby league competition.
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This would be at the expense of the popular league tag competition.
Group Three was a league tag pioneer, establishing a competition in 2009, well before most other country areas. However, Moorehead, who assisted with coaching the Old Bar side in the recently completed Hastings Nines women’s competition, believes it’s now time for rugby league to replace league tag.
“There’s no more pathways for league tag anymore – it’s all rugby league. We should be working towards starting a rugby league competition at senior level in 2020, while keeping league tag going in the juniors, where the basics can be taught.’’
He is confident the majority of Group Three clubs would be able to field women’s league teams.
“We (Old Bar), Wingham and Forster all had sides in the Hastings comp as did Wauchope,’’ he pointed out.
While Taree City wasn’t represented, Taree Panthers had a strong contingent in the junior grades.
There were also players from Port Macquarie sprinkled among the Hastings sides.
Old Bar lost a closely contested final to Lower Macleay 8-4. Sarah O’Connor from Old Bar was named the player of the match.
Moorehead said Lower Macleay was probably the form team in the latter stages of the six week season. However, he pointed out that the Pirates were minus three of their most experienced players, Holli Wheeler, Courtney Hannon and Mia Lyons for the final. Wheeler, a State and Australian representative this season, coached the side in the final as Moorehead had work commitments.
The Port Macquarie News has reported that Hastings League president Geoff Connor hopes to start a women’s 13-a-side competition next year, involving Hastings League and Group Three clubs. Mr Connor said this could involve six or eight clubs. However, he was confident a league competition would not impact on league tag.
Meanwhile the Group Three women’s team to meet Group Two at Kempsey’s Verge Street Oval on Saturday December 15 had a training run on Wednesday evening at Wauchope.
A North Coast side will be named at the conclusion of the group game.
