On the Bench with Mick and Gary and special Guest Mal Drury
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00:00And we're back for 2024 on the bench with Mick and Gary, and we'll be joined here each
00:08week or most weeks by, of course, Gary Bridge, the former Balmain Tiger and Group 3's leading
00:12pundit.
00:13My name's Mick McDonald, and we're here for the first week with Mel Drury, the Chief Executive
00:17of Group 3 Rugby League.
00:18Thanks for coming in, Mel.
00:19Pleasure, Michael.
00:20We kick off, of course, this weekend with the first round of the competition, where
00:25this week's game, we'll see on Saturday, Wingham plays Port City at Wingham, and Old
00:29Bar will host the Warhol Blues.
00:31On Sunday, Port Macquarie plays Taree City at Port Macquarie, and Foster-Tumcurry meets
00:35Maclay Valley out at Tumcurry.
00:39And of course, this year, on the bench, our major sponsors is Classic Design Jewels, who
00:44will come forward with the end-of-year trophies for the first-grade player of the year in
00:48the men's first-grade competition, and of course, the women's league tag.
00:53And the Menning River Hotel and the Old Bar Tavern will combine to give us a weekly player
00:57of the year of the round awards, and thanks very much to those sponsors.
01:01Gary, looking forward to the new season?
01:04Yeah, it's just a lot of talk in the area about, obviously, some new coaches, and nearly
01:10a whole new team out there at Foster, which is good.
01:14I didn't know he had to be, too.
01:16Yeah, well, they struggled last year, didn't they?
01:18And Cubs goes through that, but, yeah, I think it's going to be a very interesting competition,
01:22and if the talk around town is anything to go by, yeah, there's going to be some fierce combat.
01:32Yeah, man, at the season launch at Club Albar, the new group of three sponsors, what, two
01:36weeks out, three weeks out, whatever it was, the talk amongst the players and the coaches
01:42and officials on stage being interviewed was that it doesn't appear as though there's going
01:46to be a weak side this year, as was the case last year.
01:49Yeah, it's sort of looking that way, Mick.
01:51Yeah, and, like Gary just said, Warhope and Foster-Toncurry look like they've improved
01:56their roster immensely.
01:58Tarry City's got a couple of, well, what do you say, former players coming back to help
02:03them out.
02:05So all's looking good for an even competition.
02:09And big day at William, of course, tomorrow.
02:12It's a huge day.
02:13It starts at about quarter to ten, I think now, doesn't it?
02:15Something like that, yeah.
02:16Be a tackle, ladies' tackle game in there?
02:19Is there going to be five games or something?
02:20There'll be five games tomorrow.
02:21Yeah, kick-off at 9.45, is it?
02:239.45?
02:24Yeah, with the league tag on.
02:26And, of course, there's an ANZAC Day service in the middle of it there somewhere, and,
02:30of course, the highlight of that day will be the first great game.
02:34But the naming, the official naming of the grandstand at the Williams, or the Regional
02:40Bank Stadium, as it's known now, that'll be at three o'clock.
02:44It's a closely guarded secret up at William, but what the stadium will be known as, I think
02:49most people have got a fair idea what it might be, but they're expecting a huge crowd
02:53up there.
02:54I was speaking to Craig Martin, the Williams Treasurer, during the week, and he thinks
02:56it could be the biggest crowd they've ever got, because they've done a lot of work up
02:58there on the grounds itself, and also the stadium, the grandstand, sorry.
03:03It looks fairly good.
03:04We had a bit of a tour around it there early in the year, Scott Calvert and myself, and
03:08they've got a corporate area there now.
03:10So what we have now here, Mick, is, you know, we've got a four-metre platform here now where
03:14we actually, you've got the best view of the ground, you know?
03:17And this area will become pretty much, I guess you could call it corporate.
03:21It might be two bigger words for us here at William, but you know what I mean?
03:24It's going to be where we can have sponsors and they can bring their workers or whatever
03:29here for the day and enjoy a day watching the footy from up here with some beer and some
03:32food.
03:33You know, obviously the cost, again, you know, we're just trying to make it a better day
03:36of the footy for people, and I think, you know, we've done the right thing with this
03:39area.
03:40We'll have some nice new furniture in that area, and as I said, you've got the best view
03:43in the ground.
03:45Yeah, which they're going to sell out for each week, and I think it fits 20 or so people
03:50and free drink and free food while you're up there and have a day at the footy, and
03:54it's a great view of the ground.
03:56They've done a great job, William.
03:57The ground was opened in 1977 until this year, known as the Williams Sporting Complex, and
04:03the Tigers have got a long-term lease there, and they've done a brilliant job there in
04:06the last few years.
04:07It looks good.
04:08Fantastic, Mick, and you're right.
04:09Those corporate boxes, apparently $75 for the day, as much as you can eat and drink,
04:15and I was speaking to a couple of blokes like Laurie Mullen and Tommy Moore last Sunday
04:20playing bowls, and they said, that's great value.
04:23I said, I think we'll be there.
04:25That's real great value.
04:27It fits 20 people.
04:29Holy dooly.
04:30That's $75 a go.
04:31Quick of Tommy and Laurie, I can tell you.
04:33Yeah, I think we might have to get in one of those boxes, Mick.
04:36Well, actually, what they've also got there is an area set aside for the media, which
04:41conversely is right next to the corporate areas.
04:44Finally, finally, a club has looked after the most important people, the media.
04:54Group 3 is, to my knowledge, first media room.
04:57I get a bit lonely sitting in there by myself.
05:02Can I show us down?
05:04No, no, they'll be right next door.
05:06Beautiful.
05:07I'll be watching the game tomorrow.
05:09I'm driving up, I guess.
05:10I've got to be a little bit careful.
05:12I can take you.
05:13No, you'll be there too early for me.
05:17I think last year, I thought one of the features of last year's competition was upset results
05:22sort of snuck back into the equation.
05:25I think the few years before that, excluding, of course, 2020, when we didn't have a comp,
05:29but the better sides every week sort of beat the lesser sides.
05:32They won.
05:33Yeah, and usually won fairly comfortably.
05:35Whereas last year, Tarry City beat Port City for the first time since 2007.
05:42Foster beat McLeod Valley.
05:44No one expected Foster to win a game.
05:46They knocked out McLeod Valley.
05:47There were a couple of upsets or closer results during the year, which is good for the comp now.
05:52It certainly is, and you're right.
05:54Those results were unexpected, the way the competition was running last year.
05:58But you never know.
06:00It's all about players' attitude on the day, isn't it, and aiming up for each other.
06:05It's surprising what result you will get.
06:08The good thing about it is, too, if you get that unknown result,
06:12that you go to a game and think those kids are going to win hands down,
06:16it brings the crowds into the game.
06:19If you're locals and they're winning, they're having a good season, they'll come.
06:23But if they're getting beat every week, they don't turn up.
06:26I think this year, yes, as we agree,
06:28it's going to be three to four to five rounds in the competition
06:32before you can say they're definitely going to be there.
06:36We expect that perhaps Port City might come back to the field a bit this year.
06:41They've been one of the dominant clubs for over a decade.
06:45I don't think they're going to be weak by any stretch of the imagination.
06:48You wouldn't think so, not with the population up there at Port at the moment.
06:52You'd think they'd want to bounce back after not performing at their best last year.
06:57They had a bad end to the season last year.
07:00I'm thinking, this would be my guess, that the three tops are going to be
07:03Old Bar, Port Sharks and McLeod Valley.
07:07All in the greens there.
07:09Too early for me to tell them, to be honest.
07:12We don't know what Kempsey's going to bring, but both champion there.
07:15That's a good acquisition for Kempsey.
07:20Port Sharks, I held the grand final last year and got beat.
07:24It's unusual for a Port side to hold it and get beat.
07:27Old Bar, I know their co-coach Jordan.
07:33I know they're all thinking about retiring, but they want to go out another one.
07:39I'm thinking they're going to be pretty strong as well.
07:41You talk to Jordan and his co-coach, Jordan Warboys, and his co-coach Mick Henry,
07:46they're going to look tough.
07:48They've lost this, they've lost that.
07:50They've got those three guys from New Guinea and the winger from Fuji.
07:54They've also Drave Mersey's back and Jackson Long is back.
07:58They're not going to be doing it too tough, I don't think.
08:00I suppose injuries play a big part in every game, don't they?
08:03Yeah.
08:04That's a big thing in local country football.
08:09I look at last year's grand final and Mitch Wilbo,
08:13who is definitely Port Sharks' best player,
08:16he got injured in the first 5-10 minutes of the game.
08:19He had an ankle injury.
08:20He was pretty much a passion.
08:22They just lost all their attack and they didn't know where to go after that.
08:25They were like a ship without a captain, so to speak.
08:28I thought John Stanley, the Old Bar centre, was the best player on the field
08:32in the first 40 last year in the grand final.
08:35Then he did his rib and he came off and they didn't miss a beat.
08:40Interestingly, he's playing full-back against WAIP on Saturday.
08:44Really?
08:45They take Ocrans down with the Bulldogs.
08:47They're not expecting him back, but they tend to say that at Old Bar.
08:52But even so, Jackson Long comes in on the side, in the centre,
08:56so they're not missing too much, are they?
08:59They haven't lost a lot.
09:00Jordan could be a bit of a question mark there, Gary.
09:02His knee isn't real good?
09:05No, he hasn't done a lot of training
09:07and obviously if he's not there running the ship,
09:10you've got to put someone in that house.
09:12I don't know whether they've got someone that can actually fill in for Jordan.
09:16I think you're pretty right.
09:18It's a week-to-week and they think he'll play,
09:21but I don't know whether he'll play every week.
09:24Zack Butler, of course, was playing 5A.
09:26He did his knee playing cricket, I'll have to believe.
09:30How do you do your knee playing cricket?
09:32I don't know.
09:35He might have been diving to stop them before or something.
09:38Fair enough.
09:39And speaking of Old Bar,
09:40they had a huge day down there a couple of months ago,
09:44the Joel Dark Memorial Day.
09:47One of the highlights of the day wasn't there,
09:49I was on the way back from Las Vegas actually,
09:52with the name dropping.
09:54But it was a huge day, a hot day,
09:57but one of the highlights was to have the 40s going
10:00between the Old Bar old boys and Central Charlestown.
10:04Some pretty big names there,
10:06some pretty big boys running around too,
10:08in pretty hot conditions, but they got through it.
10:11Of course, Joel played with both clubs.
10:14They started two years ago,
10:16they're going to make it even bigger next year,
10:18a huge crowd.
10:20It'll be certainly a bit of a highlight for the pre-season,
10:23for the Pirates, so well done to them.
10:26Gary, the Bulls this year, of course,
10:28you're closely associated with them.
10:30Made big strides last year,
10:32but they've got to keep on going, don't they?
10:35They've got to keep on improving.
10:37I think Christian played on one leg last year,
10:40and you can see what he did playing on one leg.
10:43You don't really want to be playing against him
10:45when he's 100% fit, which he will be this year.
10:47He's got his younger brother there in the halves with him.
10:50Got a couple of other players that have come back to the club.
10:54From what I'm hearing, Mick,
10:56is that there are a lot of numbers,
10:58good numbers for the club.
11:00If you don't train, you're not going to make any of the teams,
11:03which is really good.
11:05The under-18s were struggling a bit.
11:07Now they've got a team.
11:09They've only got one player that's 18,
11:11but they had a draw with Kempsey in the first round.
11:14They did, last week.
11:16And the ladies' league tag, so it's numbers there as well.
11:20So I'm thinking Towrie City,
11:22and I think they want to be very competitive.
11:25Yeah, because a couple of their players
11:27have been in first grade for a long time now,
11:29and came into first grade at a very young age.
11:33Probably getting towards the end of their time now,
11:35and they're probably thinking,
11:36well, it's about time you at least played in the grand final.
11:38Or semi-final.
11:39Semi-final, something else.
11:40They've been out of the semi-finals since, what, you coached in 2017.
11:44So they made strides last year.
11:46They got good crowds last year.
11:48They've certainly got to work on that.
11:50They don't want to go backwards.
11:51No, no, they can't go backwards.
11:53That's the point I'm getting at.
11:54But like I say, I went there at the training on Tuesday night,
11:56the interview, Christian Hazard, their coach.
11:58And yeah, I can vouch for that.
11:59They had a stack of reserve-grade guys there.
12:01They had a good number of under-18s.
12:04Barry Murray was there running the league tag,
12:06and they looked like pretty adequate numbers there.
12:08So it's a good sign, Mel.
12:09That's what you need first up, isn't it, numbers?
12:11Yeah, I noticed Trey Saunders was playing for them,
12:13and he's from the Gold Coast.
12:14I mean, early heads.
12:16So...
12:17He probably played with Christian when Christian was up there.
12:20I looked at him this morning.
12:21He's 25 years of age,
12:22so he's in the prime of his football career.
12:25I'm not sure what position he plays,
12:27but he could be a good acquisition for them.
12:29Nathan Napier's going to be a great help to them.
12:31So, yeah, they're looking pretty good.
12:32I'm not quite sure what their centre pairing will be like,
12:35but the rest of their squad looks pretty good.
12:37You'll see him power, because he played...
12:39I think he might even play in the Mats.
12:40Oh, Boris, when they won the 18s a few years back.
12:42And he hasn't been playing at all, I don't think.
12:44And he looks like a lock in the scrum for them.
12:46So, yeah, they...
12:47He's a good player.
12:48He's a good player, yeah.
12:49So he looked a good player when he was young.
12:50So that's...
12:51And you say, with Christian on two good news,
12:54he'll...
12:55Well, you tipped him to be the player of the year last year.
12:57He didn't quite get there then.
12:58There's a lot to say.
12:59As you say, he was playing with one half leg,
13:01so with two legs, he might be right this year.
13:03He might get a watch from Georgie Millar.
13:05And I think he's...
13:07I think he's...
13:08I think he's brother coming down, too.
13:10You always want to play with you.
13:12You don't want to play against your family.
13:14You like to join in.
13:16For Jake to come down and play with him,
13:18I reckon that's great.
13:19And Jake can organise the thing,
13:21and Christian can organise the outside back.
13:23So it's all positive at the moment.
13:25Yeah, they haven't played together in the same team.
13:27Yeah.
13:28The Passard brothers.
13:29So this will be the first time.
13:31Yeah, really?
13:32Yeah.
13:33I read them any number of times,
13:34either on the paper or online today.
13:35You read all about that,
13:36because there's a very good story in there
13:37written by the Chief Rugby League writer,
13:39the earning Rugby League writer.
13:41Manold.
13:42Yes.
13:43This time last year,
13:44we had five women's league tag teams
13:46in the future of the competition.
13:48I think we're a little bit clouded.
13:50Yes.
13:51They're all filling teams this year.
13:52Yeah, they've got eight sides this year, Mick.
13:55McLean Valley,
13:56who I never thought would have a league tag side,
13:58have got a team.
14:00They've got about 18 on their board.
14:03But a lot of them are young,
14:05and that's the same as Old Bar.
14:07They're only 16, 17-year-olds, basically.
14:11But, yeah, it looks good for the future.
14:13You know, two or three years' time,
14:15they get that experience under their belt,
14:17and it'll be good.
14:19Warhub's got a team this year.
14:21Not big on numbers.
14:22Only got about 14 registered,
14:24but they're quality with Larissa Ward,
14:27Emily Lester,
14:28Holly Lewis.
14:29She's so good, though.
14:30Christy Rudes.
14:31So they've got a...
14:32Got a back then?
14:33They've got a pretty good squad.
14:34You know, if they get a couple of injuries,
14:36it might be a different story, but...
14:37Oh, that's real carry.
14:38Yeah.
14:39That's for sure.
14:40So they'll be my choice at the moment.
14:44But they've got eight women's tackle?
14:47No, seven.
14:48Seven, is it? Okay.
14:49Yeah, Port City, they actually pulled out.
14:52I mean, it's disappointing,
14:53but we'll keep working on those.
14:55A lot of those Port City girls are playing with Lauriton.
14:59Yeah, so it's just a work in progress
15:02with Port City and their tackle team.
15:05The club wants to get a tackle team,
15:07but I don't know what the blockages are there,
15:11but they need to sort it out so we can move on,
15:13and hopefully one day we'll get every club
15:16with a women's tackle team.
15:17And Foster the Hawks are building a women's tackle team
15:19for the first time this year.
15:20They are.
15:21They're going to be fairly young, I think,
15:22but they're fairly strong in women's or girls' tackle
15:25out there in the Junior League, I think, aren't they?
15:27Yeah, they are.
15:28They've got three or four good kids like Georgia,
15:31Connors, Emily Kugel and Lucy Pyther.
15:36They're just only 18 years of age.
15:40They've got a lot of quality about them.
15:42Mix them with the...
15:43And Ashley Alcorn's coming back as well.
15:45Is she?
15:46She's a former employee of yours, Gary.
15:48Ashley Alcorn.
15:49She won't be playing.
15:50She's playing league tag.
15:51League tag, sorry.
15:52Yeah, league tag.
15:53Yeah.
15:54Yeah.
15:55She's...
15:56No, she won't play tackle.
15:57No, no, she won't play tackle.
15:58But this is the thing about the ladies' tackle.
16:02There's a pathway for them now in the NRL,
16:05so you're going to find this is going to take off.
16:07And it's a surprise to me that you've got league tag,
16:13a lot of...
16:14You've still got seven, eight clubs with league tag.
16:17League tag sides, yes.
16:18I thought that might drop away because they'd all go into rugby league
16:21because of that pathway they've got.
16:23So, you know, which surprised me,
16:26which is good for the clubs and everything
16:28and the supporters that they've got both.
16:30But, yeah, I just noticed that the young girls coming in the shop
16:36playing footy now in the juniors and everything,
16:39there's more of them than there is the boys.
16:42Yeah.
16:43It's massive.
16:44Yeah, the boys are dropping away in that age group, aren't they,
16:46around the 16 years old and that sort of stuff.
16:48It's disappointing, but...
16:49I think it happens across all codes of sport.
16:51Yeah, you'll go through those systems.
16:53But being a pathway now for the girls with rugby league,
16:57well, you know...
16:58I was talking to Warren Blisseter, the Group 3 junior president,
17:03and the girls' league tag numbers have gone through the roof
17:08in the junior league.
17:09The tackle numbers are OK.
17:11They were sort of on par with last year,
17:13but I think I've asked them something like eight league tag sites
17:15and they're all playing one night a day.
17:17Yes, yes.
17:18So it's amazing.
17:20The women's tackle though, Mal, the Mid North Coast Women's League,
17:24that's not actually run by Group 3 exclusively, is it?
17:27No, Mid North Coast got their own executive
17:30because it includes Kendal and Lauriton.
17:33We couldn't call it a Group 3 comp
17:35and obviously not a Hastings league,
17:37so we decided to call it Mid North Coast Women's Tackle.
17:40And that was last year also
17:42when Sawtill and Nearbucker Heads were playing in it.
17:45Well, they've gone to Group 2 tackle competition now,
17:48so we still had to leave it the same name
17:51because while Kendal and Lauriton are there,
17:54we can't really call it Group 3.
17:56OK.
17:57And they'll play the grand finals earlier this year,
17:59as was the case last year, or they'll be the Group 3
18:02or Hastings League grand final day?
18:04Well, we've got the draw structure at the moment
18:06and they'll probably play on the same day as the Group 3 grand final.
18:08OK.
18:09Yeah.
18:10And I think...
18:11What happens then if they're backing up to play league tag?
18:14Not too many doing that.
18:16Oh, OK.
18:17A couple are, Gary, a couple of clubs have got two or three girls
18:19who are going to back up,
18:20but predominantly they're either league tag or tackle.
18:24And with the withdrawal of McHarrington
18:30from the Hastings League comp,
18:32their comp will probably finish earlier now as well,
18:35so not as many teams.
18:37Yeah.
18:38And the under-18s this year will have late cateye for the first time,
18:41which makes a nine-team competition,
18:43eight and other grades.
18:44Yeah.
18:45Well, that must have been a nightmare doing that draw.
18:47Yeah, well, it wasn't easy.
18:49It was fairly time-consuming, I can tell you.
18:51You start doing it and it's like,
18:53I've got to go and do something else because I'm getting, you know...
18:56Yeah, my brain's not functioning too well here, but...
18:59That's obvious.
19:00You know, you keep at it and, yeah,
19:02it's unfortunate that we've had to have three buys during the year,
19:06but I don't think too many clubs are complaining about that.
19:08You know, we probably play for four or five weeks, have a buy,
19:11another four weeks, have a buy.
19:13Yeah, that sort of works out.
19:14It is a bit...
19:15There's even numbers in the comp,
19:16so you're not getting a buy than having a general buy.
19:18Yes.
19:19You're still getting that con on you and your football.
19:21Yeah, yeah.
19:22I've been asked this a few times in the summer since,
19:25or in the off-season,
19:27late cateye, is there any chance of them ever coming into the groups
19:31through a competition, or is this just going to be a one-off thing,
19:33or a couple of years?
19:34No.
19:35According to Jason Higgins, they'll have 18s for a little while.
19:38I mean, obviously our plan is to have a Camden Haven side
19:43in our Group 3 competition.
19:45If you take Lauriton and Kendall and late cateye,
19:50I'm not sure that we'll ever get there, to be honest.
19:53They're very anti-Group 3 for some reason.
19:56I think they've had some bad experiences in the past
19:59and they're not real keen to come back on board,
20:02but I have heard some whispers that late cateye might be heading that way,
20:06so we'll just have to wait and see.
20:08Yeah, because they'd nearly have to be.
20:09I remember Wayne Bridge,
20:10when he was the President and Chairman of Group 3 a couple of years ago,
20:13when he said, well, really, it would have to be a whole area
20:16deciding to come back, not just one club,
20:18because they'd be fighting one another for players.
20:21Yeah.
20:22But not a lot of players.
20:23They'd nearly have to be the...
20:24Yeah.
20:25I mean, if they all got together and mates just made one club,
20:27you'd have plenty of players for Group 3 and the Hastings League Club,
20:30you'd imagine, wouldn't you?
20:31Well, you would.
20:32I mean, I look at Kendall now,
20:33I think they're a bit of a stronghold in Hastings League,
20:35from what I can gather.
20:37I mean, they...
20:38Speaking to a couple of the Saturday League players from Combine,
20:43I said, who looks like the favourites in the Saturday competition?
20:47Kendall.
20:48Yeah.
20:49Yeah.
20:50And the Indigenous game, Indigenous All-Stars game,
20:52was washed out a couple of weeks ago.
20:54Now that's going to be held later on this year?
20:56We've got it planned at the moment for the 29th of June,
20:59when we've got a general bye,
21:01playing the Saturday and the under-18s will back up and play Sunday.
21:06That's our plan at the moment.
21:07Whether that comes to fruition, who knows?
21:10Things crop up and you've got to change things.
21:14I personally would like to see it next year,
21:18before the competition starts.
21:20That was the plan this year, of course.
21:21And I think we could use it as probably a trial game for a Group 3 team,
21:26if we could fit that into the representative schedule somehow.
21:31I'm quite sure we could work that out,
21:33but that's a matter of sitting down with New South Wales Rugby League
21:36when they're planning their representative season
21:38to find a day that suits.
21:41And then you can pick your Group 3 side,
21:42then you move on and play Group 2.
21:45Of course, one thing we always ask this time of year,
21:48referee numbers, how are they shaping up?
21:50Not enormous.
21:52It is disappointing.
21:53I think there's 95 on a list of referees,
21:57and this weekend we've got 14 officiating.
22:02We're still a couple of referees short for tomorrow,
22:07so hopefully we can fill that today.
22:12I have to have a yarn to Warren Blissett.
22:13He's scheduled a gala day that was washed out
22:18from the 13th of April as well.
22:20So he needs referees for that.
22:22It's just disappointing that that day's clashed
22:25with the opening of our competition.
22:28Gary, you've got the boots on?
22:30I keep asking.
22:32It looks like I might have to come back and do some refereeing, won't I?
22:36I would love to have you.
22:37I think I sat here last year and you said the same thing.
22:39I said the same thing, yeah.
22:40I heard a rumour that there is a Level 6 touch referee
22:46who is a referee in Rugby League as well coming to the area.
22:49He should be here in probably a month's time.
22:52Yes, I heard that.
22:53Goodie told me that Wednesday.
22:55So there's another one that will come in.
22:57I suppose if you ever get stuck, mate,
22:59I can just run that touch line or something.
23:01Well, I noticed on the run.
23:03Well, I've got a flag, haven't I?
23:07Still mic'd up, I can say, hang on, call them back.
23:11A fast leap will call them.
23:14I was reading the updated referees appointments for this week
23:17and Barry Nicholls, he's doing an under-18 centre,
23:21reserve grade centre and a first grade line, I think,
23:23so he'll sleep well on Saturday night.
23:25He will, yeah.
23:29If it's the Barry Nicholls I know who lives in Western Australia,
23:33it's a long trip for him to come up.
23:37And he was a strapper at the Tigers when I was there.
23:41Oh, was he?
23:42Was he Laurie's brother or something?
23:46Just for next week's episode, next week's segment,
23:49we'll be making our first trip to Port Macquarie
23:51because Gary's away at the Gold Coast or somewhere playing golf.
23:55So Marty Borg, who's the sports journalist for the Port Macquarie News,
23:59she'll be filling in for Gary.
24:01She'll be also organising the special guest,
24:03but whoever it is, it'll be someone I coach,
24:05hopefully from up there, somewhere on the Hastings.
24:09We'll all hope it's two Port Cubs or Kempsey.
24:13Kempsey's not on the Hastings, but anyway.
24:15Minor geographical hiccup there, but anyway.
24:18So that'll be first for on the bench,
24:20and the game plan is to go up there fairly regularly to Port this year,
24:23minus Gary because his wife won't let him go all the way up there,
24:27and doing a segment from there.
24:29So that'll be a feature of on the bench this year.
24:31Gary, to finalise our first one for the year,
24:34who do you think's going to win it?
24:35Well, I'm not going to show any favouritism,
24:39but it's been a long time,
24:41but I'm going to tip the Tarry City Bulls.
24:45It'll be a threat, a big threat,
24:49and could take home the title.
24:51Injuries.
24:52Injury free.
24:53Injury free, yep.
24:54I want to ask you, Matt, because obviously you're one of the group.
24:56No, you can't.
24:57No, you can't.
24:58Can't you show favouritism?
25:00Well, I could also go wing them as well.
25:03What about Chatham-Cunnell as well then?
25:05Well, back in those days, they were winners.
25:09Especially against the Oobras.
25:11I read their mix.
25:12I haven't read the paper yet,
25:13but I saw highlights where Wingham signed a centre from New Guinea.
25:18Was he a promising?
25:19Well, he was in the PNG Hunters,
25:22the Q Cup, he was in their squad
25:24and apparently didn't make the final cut.
25:26He must have some ability.
25:28He's handy, yeah,
25:30but the play they got from them last year
25:32doesn't look like coming back.
25:34He may be back later in the year, but not counting on it.
25:36But no, he's slotted in there nicely.
25:38Of course, Tim Bridgegar, your nephew,
25:40he's going to miss the first couple of weeks of the year
25:42because he had an elbow operation.
25:44So he slots in there nicely.
25:46They think they're going to be all right this year, the Tigers.
25:48Aaron Groom's back, the front rower.
25:50Oh, right, hey?
25:51He's a good player off the bench.
25:52He's got apparently a good under-18 side.
25:54Yeah, they won last weekend too.
25:56Yeah, they'll be boy hope, yeah.
25:58Ben Guy, who's the son of Andy Guy,
26:00the former fine wing centre,
26:03he's on the first grade bench tomorrow.
26:05He'll be his first grade debut.
26:07Mitch Collins, the captain of Coach City,
26:09he tends to use some of the better players
26:11as first grade bench players this year.
26:14So they're quite confident.
26:16They might have a big year this year, the Tigers.
26:19It'd be great for Group 3 if they do.
26:21You'd be happy to have finally kicked off, wouldn't you?
26:23You don't really have an off-season, do you?
26:25The grand final finishes and it all starts again, basically.
26:27You start preparing for next year,
26:29there's always things going on.
26:31Registrations start coming in
26:33and clearances start coming in.
26:35There's over 500 clearances, I think.
26:38It's astronomical, really.
26:40And there's over 500 in Junior League,
26:42so those poor buggers have got to go through
26:45and do all them and check the players out
26:47and all that sort of stuff to make sure
26:49they're doing the right thing.
26:51It must be an enormous job.
26:52And finally, the points system.
26:54We've got so much trouble.
26:55Are we any closer to clarifying that?
26:57A couple of clubs might be able to fill the side.
27:00Well, I mean, that's the case.
27:02If they've got too many points,
27:04they can't register their team
27:06into the MySideline database for the game day
27:09because it flashes up,
27:10no, you're over your points,
27:12go back and resubmit your team.
27:14So it's a work in progress as well,
27:16but we'll get there in another year or two, I reckon.
27:18It'll sort of be augurs well for our competition,
27:21I think, and make it even across the board.
27:23Well, I did speak to a gentleman from out west
27:26when it's happened one afternoon
27:30and I just ran into him and I said,
27:32where are you from?
27:33He said, I'm out.
27:34I said, what about this points system?
27:35And he said, it's great for the competition
27:39because you're not getting clubs that are just dominating
27:42with the players and that,
27:43so they're quite happy with it.
27:45Obviously, it does work if it's done properly.
27:49I know it's got some flaws and everything,
27:51but they're very happy with it
27:53and keeping the clubs involved in the competition.
27:55It's fairly comprehensive once you look at it.
27:57It's a 10 or 12 page.
27:59It's sort of complicated when you look at it.
28:01I can't get my head around it.
28:06Anyway, that's it for the first on the bench for this year.
28:08Thanks to the gentleman for coming in.
28:10Enjoy the footy this weekend, those who are going there.
28:12We'll be back next week from the Port Macquarie News offices
28:15with speaking to Marty Borg and somebody.
28:17But good luck to all the teams this year
28:19and everyone going to the footy this weekend.
28:20Enjoy yourself.
28:21Thanks, Mick. Thanks, Gary.
28:22Thanks very much.