GROUP Three Rugby League will revert to a four team semi-final series this year and endeavour to play all postponed matches caused by wet weather.
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This was decided at a specially convened general meeting held on Wednesday evening (May 25) at the Wingham Services Club which discussed the problems caused by wet weather and resulting in closed fields.
The competition kicked off on May 7 and 8. However, not one full round has yet been completed.
No matches were possible on May 14 and 15 and Group Three chief executive Mal Drury said this will now be canned.
This is believed to be the first time the group has played a four team finals series in 20 years, with five teams the usual format.
Mr Drury said a four team semi-final will give the group a spare weekend on August 27/28 in the competition-proper to accommodate postponed games, which he expects will be needed. Semi-finals will now be played over three weeks, as opposed to four with a five team series.
Teams finishing third and fourth will contest the minor semi-final with one/two playing the major. These games will be played on September 3 and 4.
The final, featuring the winner of the minor against the loser of the major, will be on Saturday, September 10 with the grand final on Saturday, September 17, as was previously the case. The team winning the major semi will host the grand final.
Mr Drury said this weekend the Forster-Tuncurry/Port City game on Saturday has been switched from Port Macquarie to the Harry Elliott Oval at Tuncurry. Wingham will play Port Sharks on Sunday at the Elliott Oval. This will be the first game of the season for Wingham and Port City.
At the time of writing the other games this weekend are going ahead at the designed venues, with Wauchope hosting Taree City while Old Bar heads to Kempsey to tackle Macleay Valley.
Mr Drury said the Old Bar/Wingham game, postponed from last weekend, will now be played on Saturday, June 11 at the Wingham Sporting Complex. This is the long weekend. Macleay Valley and Port City hope to play their postponed game on Thursday evening, June 9.
"If we lose a full round, as was the case on May 14 and 15, then those games will be canned,'' he explained.
Mr Drury explained the mood of the meeting was generally optimistic and the clubs are willing to co-operate to ensure the season goes ahead despite the problems.
However, he added that everything will depend on the weather.
"We have no control over that,'' he said.
"We can only take it a week at a time and deal with the problems as they arise.''
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