Dora Creek Swampies: Upper Hunter rugby league club accuses rivals of collusion, deliberately forfeiting games

They’re the bush footy club who are simply too good. The Dora Creek Swampies have accused their Upper Hunter rivals of colluding to forfeit games. And it’s threatening to ruin the club.

The Dora Creek Swampies from the Upper Hunter comp.

Forfeits, collusion and embarrassment – this is the bush footy team no one wants to play.

Dora Creek Swampies have contested the past four grand finals, winning three, in Newcastle’s Upper Hunter Rugby League A-Grade competition, but the team has been forced to endure five forfeits in nine games this year.

With two byes included in the competition, and another match abandoned, the competition leaders have played just four games with the finals only three week away.

Seven teams compete in the premiership but three teams - Windale, University and Kotara - have regularly forfeited to Dora Creek all season. Kotara Bears have already forfeited this coming weekend’s game.

It appears they’re simply too good, but it has left Dora Creek coach and former Manly player Dave Hoban fearing his players, who are essentially getting one game every two weeks, will walk away from rugby league.

And Dora Creek officials claim the forfeits have cost the club $40,000 in revenue through gate takings, beer and canteen sales and raffles.

The Dora Creek Swampies have contested the past four grand finals, and won three, and now their rivals refuse to play them, says coach Dave Hoban.

Hoban said there hasn’t been a single forfeit from any club all season other than when teams play his side.

Rival clubs say Dora Creek – located 4km north of Morisset - is simply too professional and strong for many of their opponents.

Opponents pinpoint players being unavailable as the reason behind the forfeits but Hoban says the same sides are playing the week before the forfeit, and the week after.

“Only three teams will play us - Dudley Magpies, Waratah Cheetahs and South Newcastle Lions,” Hoban said. “It’s an embarrassment to rugby league. They have all got together and colluded to not play Dora Creek. This is the problem.

Hoban has accused rival clubs of colluding to avoid playing the Swampies.

“They said they have a duty of care to their players but that’s a load of shit. They just feel like they can’t compete with us. We just have a group of players that want to train hard and put the effort in. This is where our success comes from. If you’re entered into an A-grade competition then you should be competing.

“There’s a perception we’re professionals - because of the standard we set - but we’re not, we’re amateur. We have only one former NRL player, Peni Terepo, who played for Parramatta.

“I fear our players will leave the game, I’m struggling to keep them motivated to train. The Newcastle Upper Hunter Rugby League have done nothing to try and rectify the situation. There needs to be more severe penalties for teams that forfeit.

“I can’t understand why guys want to play rugby league and then decide to not play against certain clubs. It doesn’t make any sense to me, we don’t understand it. Newcastle is a strong area for rugby league but these clubs are trying to bring it down.”

Hoban says the competition’s major sponsor, Lake Macquarie Forklifts, has withdrawn its sponsorship over the forfeit debacle.

On July 4, the Newcastle and Upper Hunter management committee, through secretary Nathan Errington, conceded errors have been made, emailing clubs to say: “As a board, we clearly concede that mistakes have been made this year around gradings and other issues, and moving forward we simply need to be better aligned with our clubs and their grievances both individually and as a group.”

Rival clubs claim the Swampies are too professional, but they boast just one former NRL player, former Parramatte Eel Peni Terepo. Picture: AAP.

These are the emails Dora Creek have received over the past few months.

On June 8, Kotara Bears secretary Lachlan Dawson: “Sorry for the last-minute email. We were really trying to pull a team together, but unfortunately due to player availability this long weekend we will be unable to proceed with this weekend’s catch-up match verse (sic) Dora Creek.”

On July 25, Dawson again emails: “Hi all, due to injuries and player availability this weekend Kotara Men’s A (grade) forfeit to Dora Creek.”

On May 16, University secretary Brock O’Sullivan: “Hi all, University is unable to field a team this weekend. Please consider this as our notice of forfeit against Dora Creek. Any issues feel free to contact me. Thanks.”

On July 19, Sullivan said: “To the NHRL board/Dora Creek secretary, Please accept this email as a notice of University Men’s A-grade team forfeit against Dora Creek this weekend.

“The team met tonight and had 11 available players. Unfortunately, due to multiple injuries as well as the incident that occurred last weekend deterring some players and we have a duty of care for our young side to not take the field shorthanded. My apologies for any inconveniences caused. This is not an ideal situation for any club.”

Dora Creek claim the continual forfeits has cost the club $40,000 in lost income, with one sponsor already walking away.

On June 14, Dora Creek secretary Michael Edmunds emailed the NHRL governing body to say: “We have received a phone call this morning that Windale intends to forfeit to us on the weekend, can you confirm this?

“With all the forfeits coming our way what does the league plan on doing about this issue? Pretty embarrassing for A-grade teams to decide they don’t want to play us which doesn’t do our competition the due diligence and respect for an A grade competition.

“Dora as a club is more than frustrated with these actions and would like to know plans on what the league is going to do about this moving forward.”

On the same day, a return email states: “Forfeit is confirmed.”

Dora Creek Swampies’ major sponsor, Dora Creek Workers Club, have told the club they will review their sponsorship should the forfeits continue. Hoban said there were years when Dora Creek had 11 players but never forfeited.

The competition’s teams are Dora Creek Swampies, Dudley Magpies, Waratah Cheetahs, University Seahorses, Windale Eagles, Kotara Bears and South Newcastle Lions. With a top five finals format, the three forfeiting clubs can still reach the finals.

Clubs have sent an email to the Newcastle Upper Hunter Rugby League board advising a looming vote of no confidence.

Originally published as Dora Creek Swampies: Upper Hunter rugby league club accuses rivals of collusion, deliberately forfeiting games