Coffey throws full support behind Central North Rugby Union’s plan to proceed once lockdown lifts

The final two rounds of Central North Rugby Union’s 2021 season have been scrapped and the finals will go ahead under a new format following a Zoom meeting with CNRU executives, clubs and stakeholders at the weekend.

In an announcement made on Saturday night, CNRU said that its position on the grand final date was that it would not be pushed beyond Saturday, September 25.

With that in mind as well as a clear edict from NSW Rugby to finalise competitions as quickly as possible if and when they resume, a discussion and subsequent vote by clubs saw rounds 17 and 18 cancelled and a new finals format introduced which has shortened the post season series from three weeks to two.

In the first week of the new-look finals series, two semi-finals will be contested in each grade.

The top-ranked teams will play against the teams which finished fourth, while the second and third-placed teams will also meet in each grade.

All of those matches will be played under a ‘super Saturday’ format at Gunnedah no later than Saturday, September 18.

The winners of those games will progress to grand final day which will be hosted by the highest-ranked first grade club no later than Saturday, September 25.

That decision meant that the teams ranked first and second in each grade have lost their double chance advantage, but Narrabri Rugby Club president Mick Coffey stressed that the correct decision had been made.

“For the year, I think its the best outcome,” Coffey told The Courier.

“Obviously we are penalised in first grade when you look at the ladders because traditionally if you finish one or two you get a second opportunity in the finals if you need it, whereas we don’t under the current format.

“But to use an extra week to play a three-week finals series, to potentially have another lockdown come back in if that was to happen, we may have played two rounds of finals and still not have had a major premier.

“It’s disappointing not to get a crack at getting the minor premiership which in turn you get to host the major final and hopefully get a home grand final and all those kinds of things.

“But in interest of getting a name on that trophy, after missing last year, I think this is the smartest, most practical result.

“After talking to people from different clubs and our own club as well, and people from NSW Country Rugby and NSW Rugby, everyone is of the opinion that the most important thing is to get a result, that’s the best case scenario.

“If it means a few clubs don’t get the advantages that usually would be afforded to them, we were happy to bend there in the interest of the bigger picture.

“All clubs had to be flexible and in the different grades it didn’t suit everyone of course, but everyone was on the same page to get it over and done with and to award a premiership in each grade.”

While CNRU and the clubs themselves are determined to return to the field, they will only be able to do so if lockdowns are lifted in advance of the deadline dates.

Based on a duty of care for players outlined in return-to-play protocols, teams require a minimum of one week on the training paddock before games can resume.

So, if lockdowns are lifted later in the week ahead of the September 18 semi-finals, the semi-finals will not go ahead. Should that happen it is expected that grand finals would be played between the teams ranked first and second.

There is also a possibility that no grand final will be played for a second consecutive year.

Another major decision made at Saturday’s meeting was that Narrabri’s first and second grade games against Gunnedah in round 17 were scrapped.

All ladder standings from round 16, with byes for the last three rounds considered, determined the final four in each grade.

That saw the Blue Boars qualify for the finals in all grades after placing second in first grade, third in second grade and fourth in the women’s sevens comp.

Despite the finals shake-up, the Blue Boars’ first XV can still earn a home grand final in 2021.

“If Gunnedah goes down and we get a win against Walcha (in first grade) we’ll be hosting a grand final,” Coffey said.

At this stage, it is still unknown whether or not crowds will be permitted at games should the season resume.

That will be dictated by the health order in place at the time.