Meeting to decide Mustangs’ future

This follows Saturday’s first grade game against Wingham at Wingham where club officials called the match off at halftime citing player welfare when Wingham led 62-0.

The Mustangs – last year’s grand finalists, played the reserve grade match with just 12 players, losing 52-20. There was a 15 minute delay before the start of the first grade as officials scrambled to find enough players to start the match. A number of the reserve graders were then forced to back-up for first grade. Thirteen players eventually made it onto the field, although the side didn’t have any reserves.

However, the Mustangs lost two players to injury in the opening 40 minutes of carnage in what was little more than a training gallop for the Tigers.

Macleay president Tim Moorehead said player welfare was at the utmost importance and that was the reason the club made the decision not to play the second half.

“We didn’t want any more players getting injured – we had seven players backing up (from reserve grade) as it was,’’ he said 

“It was always going to be a struggle (for numbers) with an away game.’’

Moorehead said the club’s committee will meet on Tuesday night to make a decision on what to do for the remainder of the season. A preferred option is to withdraw from reserve grade and play with women’s league tag, under 18s and one senior grade, he added.

Moorehead conceded it has been a difficult few weeks for the club. He said a large chunk of the 2017 roster has left the Mustangs for varying reasons.

“We lost a lot of players who were working on the roads and have moved on with their jobs,’’ Moorehead explained.

Others – including star halfback Anthony Cowan, are now working in Sydney while captain-coach Dennis Ritchie is out for the season after breaking his arm. 

“Things were looking positive in the pre-season – we were getting around up to 40 senior players to training and we were confident of having a good year,’’ Moorehead said.

However, Moorehead added there was an exodus of players before the competition-proper kicked off to Group Three clubs Port City and Wauchope along with Hastings League clubs Lower Macleay Magpies and the South West Rocks Marlins.

“I don’t know why they left,’’ he said.

Moorehead believes the club would have around 26 senior players on their books, with some returning from suspension next week following the week two match against Port Macquarie. He said the Mustangs would have a competitive first grade side, although with no reserve grade players would have to be rotated for the remainder of the season to ensure they all had enough football.

Macleay made the under 18 grand final last year and going into this weekend’s round sat in equal first place with two wins and a loss. The Mustangs had the bye against Wingham as the Tigers don’t field a team in the junior age group. Macleay’s reserve grade has a win, a draw and two losses, while the women’s league tag squad has met all commitments, losing 20-10 to the Tigers on Saturday.

However, the first grade team has yet to win a game.

“We’ll assess things on Tuesday night,’’ Moorehead said.

“I’ll also talk to Group Three and then we’ll make a decision.’’