The local rugby league community was left devastated earlier this week as the Narrabri Blues announced they had withdrawn from the 2025 Group 4 Rugby League competition.
Club president Cameron Staines said that he and his committee were “absolutely gutted” to have informed the Group at Sunday’s meeting that the decision had been made, but also declared that it would be a rebuilding year before they rejoin in 2026 with Hayden Bell at the helm as first grade coach.
A player shortage left the club with no choice but to make the decision.
Numbers and quality have dwindled since the Blues were crowned minor in 2021, with players changing clubs and codes, hanging up the boots, or relocating to different towns.
Staines told The Courier last month that the club was in danger of having to pull out in 2025, and the Blues then announced last week that if they did not have numbers by the Friday night training session, they would need to make the tough call.
The president said the club’s stance was that 28 players would need to be keen and registered to forge ahead, but they were 12 short of that number on Friday night and their hand was forced.
Staines declared that a lack of funds had also had an impact.
“We had a meeting last Tuesday (March 11). I put a motion forward that we needed 28 registered players and we wanted 16 to 17 of them to be of first grade standard,” he said.
“If that didn’t happen we would be standing down for 2025.
“At the end of the day it’s funds. We need money.
“Enthusiasm in town isn’t real good.
“You’ve also got the Blue Boars on a high with their grand final win, and Boggabri and Moree on a high after their grand final last year. They currently have our key players who played last year or the seasons before.
“When you have a 15,000 population in the Narrabri Shire and you’ve got three Group 4 clubs in it, something’s got to give.
“The committee wasn’t happy to just play in the second grade comp. There is too much pride in the Blue guernsey to do that.
“We want to be healthy and strong, but to take three steps forward we had to take a step back next year.
“The committee is absolutely gutted and it’s very disheartening.
“It’s the first time in 104 years of a proud and strong Narrabri Blues tradition and culture we have the burden of doing this.
“But 2026 will be the rebirth of a new-look Narrabri Blues.
“We have a good committee, and we need them to stay on board going into 2026.”
There was an outpouring of both disappointment and disbelief from Blues fans on social media during the week, with many wondering how a club that finished first in 2021 could now be in this position.
Staines said he was particularly disappointed for the women’s side and its coach Kaitlyn Armitage.
He said that they would not have a league tag team this year but he is hopeful that they would field a side in the tackle competition and play alongside a club that does not have a ladies’ tackle team.
Following the decision to pull out of the 2025 campaign, one of the primary concerns is that players will join other clubs, enjoy themselves and then will not return.
However, Staines was confident that the players registered with the Blues would be loaned to other clubs this year and would return.
He also expects Bell to attract other talented players, returning or new, to the club next year.
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