Group 4 Rugby League’s 2021 season remains in limbo

By Geoff Newling

The 2021 Group 4 Rugby League remains in limbo since being derailed by the COVID-19 lockdown with no games played since Saturday, August 7.

And with regional NSW in lockdown until at least August 28, the future for Group 4’s 2021 season is in doubt.

Group 4 Rugby League chairman, Terry Psarakis, said the Group 4 board has been discussing various options available.

“This is a very unfortunate situation,” Terry Psarakis said.

“The season has been one of our best and most competitive for many years. At this stage the best scenario is that we can resume playing after the August 28 lockdown ends.

“If that does occur we then have a number of options open to us to complete the premiership season.”

The options are:
“One – we play the semi-final series over three weeks.
“Two – we play one v four and two v three semi series and the winners play in the grand final.
“Three – no play at all and we declare a first past the post winner (in each grade).”

Psarakis said the truncated season would mean the final round (round 14) and the two games from round 13 would not be played and all decisions would be made on the season as at round 12.

This would include best and fairest awards along with point-scorers and try-scorers tables.

Those decisions are not final and will still be discussed and decided upon by Group 4’s board in consultation with the clubs.

That process will continue this week so that whatever eventuates, Group 4 is ready and primed to finish its 2021 season in a competitive and fair manner for all clubs and players.

Group 4 is also hoping to run its second West Entertainment Group Nines Competition in October.

The inaugural nines competition was a huge success last November under the Scully Park lights.

The nines competition is slated for an October 9, 16, 23 and 30 return.

Notification of the impending comp went out last week and already 34 players have indicated their intention to play.