The game is set for Omaru Park. Taree captain-coach Shannon Hall said the Wildcats won't be shifting the match to a synthetic field at Coffs Harbour, as was the case for last weekend's encounter against table-topping Bellingen. The Wildcats went down 6-0.

This was the third game Taree has played at Coffs Harbour in a month and Hall said his side is in no rush to return.

"We had travel fatigue last weekend. We took a pretty strong side up there, but we struggled with fitness and travel isn't helping,'' Hall said.

"If we can't play at home this weekend - and I doubt we will - we'll have the day off.''

Hall said there's no other ground locally the Wildcats can take for tomorrow's encounter.

He added the lack of field training is impacting on the Wildcats.

"You could see that when we played Southern United in the game at Forster. Southern's been able to get some sessions in on a field and they looked fitter than us.''

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The Wildcats have yet to win a match and have conceded 21 goals in the last three while scoring just two.

Southern United is due to host Port Saints tomorrow at Tuncurry. The Ospreys' game against Port United was postponed last Saturday when the Port venue was closed.

Ground closures to hit season's kickoff

FOOTBALL Mid North Coast's Southern men's and women's competitions are due to kickoff this weekend, although only a handful of games will go ahead because of closed fields. Ten sides will contest the men's premiership, with 10 also in the women's. The women's competition is scheduled to start tonight.

There were 11 sides in both competitions last year, prompting the zone to make two divisions at the completion of one full round. However, both were called off after one game when the State went into lockdown due to COVID.

FMNC general manager Bruce Potter said neither would split this year.

"We'll play a full season in both,'' he said. "Where we have 12 teams or more in a competition, we will divide the teams into A and B.''

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