Bellingen pull plug on Lower Clarence trial match

Lower Clarence Magpies fans will need to wait another week to see their proud club back in action in 2017.

RAMPAGE: Front rower Ryan Binge has stepped up to a leadership role at the Lower Clarence Magpies this season in what is the biggest forward pack on the Coast. Picture: Matthew Elkerton

RUGBY LEAGUE: Lower Clarence Magpies fans will need to wait another week to see their proud club back in action in 2017 after a late cancellation to today's pre-season trial match.

The Lower Clarence side were expected to host their species counterparts in the Bellingen-Dorrigo Magpies from the Group 2 competition before a lack of player numbers forced Bellingen to pull the plug on the contest.

The match would have been the Magpies first hit-out back on the rugby league fields after the club took a year-long recess in 2016 due to a lack of player numbers. It was also going to be the club's debut on their new home field at Yamba League Field.

While first-time coach Dan Randall was "disappointed” to miss out on the trial match, he admitted it gave his outfit another week on the training paddock to work out final kinks before they meet Tweed Coast Raiders next weekend.

"At the end of the day we had two teams ready to go waiting for them, but they could really only put one team together to come up and didn't think it was worth wasting our time,” he said.

"We are disappointed that we won't get a hit-out, but that is nothing against Bello.

"Troy Robbo is a good mate of mine, and he is doing the same thing I am doing in rebuilding a first grade side, so I can understand his decision.”

While the local fans will be left salivating at the opportunity to see the black and whites at full flight, Randall said he would make it worth their while.

"This just gives us an extra week to fine-tune all of our structures and game plans ahead of the Tweed Coast fixture,” he said.

"I am not worried about missing a pre-season game, we will still be ready.”

Magpies will meet the Raiders next week at Yamba League Park with reggies kicking off from 4pm.

Originally published as Bellingen pull plug on Lower Clarence trial match