Group 2 must apply Covid rules at all matches “until further notice”

Group 2 is in a battle to keep the 2021 season alive and avoid a repeat of last year when Covid restrictions resulted in the abandonment of the competition.

Tooheys New Group 2 Rugby League is in a battle to keep the 2021 season alive and avoid a repeat of last year when Covid restrictions resulted in the abandonment of the competition.

As the NRL moves its entire competition to Queensland under NSW Government pressure to avoid crowds, local rugby league authorities are sticking to their guns, enforcing strict policies to ensure the lifeblood of country rugby league clubs - the crowds - continue to file through the gates.

Group 2 this week announced clubs must apply Covid rules at all matches “until further notice”.

“Fully comply with your Covid plan,” Group 2 advised clubs on social media.

“No persons will be permitted into grounds where Group 2 Rugby League activities are being conducted without a face mask on.

“Police may attend sporting fixtures in our area where possible to check on persons complying with the Covid rules.”

Grafton Ghosts president Neil Payne said the Covid situation was the biggest issue currently facing clubs, with potentially devastating impacts should crowds be banned before the end of the season.

“If they don’t get this (Covid outbreak) episode under control before the season’s out we could be in a real situation,” Payne said.

“It won’t surprise me at all if games end up being played in front of empty stands, and if the games can’t have spectators, the clubs won’t survive.

“It’s one of the biggest issues we’ve got, and we can’t control it.”

According to Payne, the Ghosts will enforce its Covid policy at Frank McGuren Field this Sunday with no one allowed into the ground without a mask, and social distancing rules in place in the grandstands.

Those who are attending Group 2 matches will be treated to some intriguing rugby league, with the competition one of the closest in recent memory.

Not only does just two wins separate first from fifth, but the current leaders Coffs Harbour Comets - with seven wins and four losses - have a for and against differential of plus 38, while the fifth place Rebels have five wins and a minus three differential, and last placed Woolgoolga Seahorses only a minus 76 differential from 11 games.

“There doesn’t seem to be a massive difference between any of the teams,” Payne said. “There’s only eight points between first and last and honestly on their day anyone could win.

“Bellingen have a good side, Macksville were leading the comp after four rounds, the Rebels are playing Coffs this weekend and on their day are a very strong side too.

“If players lose a couple of star players to injuries at this stage in the season, it can make a huge difference.”

ROUND 15 FIXTURES

• Grafton Ghosts v Macksville Sea Eagles at Frank McGuren Field
• Coffs Harbour Comets v South Grafton Rebels at Geoff King Motors Oval
• Woolgoolga Seahorses v Bellingen Magpies at Woolgoolga Sports Ground

Payne will certainly be hoping the Ghosts report a clean bill of health after Sunday’s home game fixtures at Frank McGuren Field, which sees the blue and whites take on Macksville Sea Eagles in First Grade and League Tag, and South Grafton Rebels in Reserve Grade.

While the Ghosts sit in second spot ahead of third-placed Macksville in the top grade, they are bottom of the ladder in reserves and face a mismatch on paper against Rebels, who are leading the competition.

“Reserves have struggled with so many injuries,” Payne said. “Between the two grades we have about 20 people out injured. That just happens some years.”

However, Payne insists the current position in first grade has exceeded preseason expectations, with a young side featuring many new faces from that which took out the last title in 2019.

“It’s a pretty young side and (captain-coach) Todd (Cameron) has done a good job,” he said. “They’ve probably exceeded a lot of people’s expectations this year.

“Overall, I’m pretty happy with where they’re at. It’s a bit of a rebuilding curve; we never set our sights real high, and I think we’ve done pretty well to be where we are.”

The Grafton Ghosts currently sit in second place on the Group 2 Rugby League First Grade ladder in Todd Cameron’s first season as captain-coach.

The Ghosts will have to dig themselves out of a hole, however. They are coming off two consecutive losses, including last week on the receiving end of a 44 to 4 thumping at the hands of Coffs Harbour Comets.

“If you look through the books for the last 10 years or even further, the game on the end of the Grafton Cup week is never a good game,” Payne laughed.

So far this season Grafton has shared the spoils with Macksville, each scoring an away win, with Macksville taking the round three clash 22-12 and Grafton returning fire 26-16 in round eight.

FIRST GRADE

Ladder: 14 Coffs Harbour Comets (+38), Grafton Ghosts (+17); 12 Macksville Sea Eagles (+12); 10 Bellingen Magpies (+12), South Grafton Rebels (-3), 6 Woolgoolga Seahorses (-76).

Top Try Scorers: 6 Jake Martin (Grafton), Blake O’Connor (Coffs), Dane Saunders (Macksville); 5 MacAuley Dawson (Coffs), Keiron Johnson-Heron (South Grafton), Edward Vincent (Woolgoolga).

RESERVE GRADE

Ladder: 16 South Grafton; 15 Woolgoolga; 13 Coffs Harbour; 12 Macksville; 8 Bellingen; 2 Grafton.

LEAGUE TAG

Ladder: 22 Coffs Harbour; 15 Bellingen; 13 Grafton; 7 Macksville; 5 South Grafton; 4 Woolgoolga.

UNDER-18s

Ladder: 12 Macksville, Sawtell; 8 South Grafton; 7 Coffs Harbour.