Moss Vale Dragons lose their fire
Former premiers Moss Vale Dragons have dropped out of first grade for the 2012 season. Photo by Roy Truscott.
LAUREN WRIGHT
07 Mar, 2012 01:00 AM
RUGBY league comes with highs and lows.
And no club knows this better at the moment than the Moss Vale Dragons.
After claiming the premiership in 2010, the Dragons have now had to pull out of first grade for the 2012 season.
What was once a great club now appears to be in decline but club members and former players remain hopeful their demotion will only last a year.
"It was just a lack of player numbers and not enough players to put on the field," Dragons president Greg Maloney said.
"It's been difficult but you can't do much about it when there's not enough to field a first grade team."
"It was quite a hard decision to make. The reality was we're better to field one good team and build back into first grade next year. The club sees this as a one year operation."
Throughout pre-season, Moss Vale lost a number of key senior first grade players which hit the club hard.
Dan Drewe and Shane Martin were unable to play due to work commitments, Elliot Esquilant, Scott Drewe and Robbie Noble have headed down the coast to Jamberoo, a few players went overseas, Tim Small defected to the Bowral Blacks and as the prospect of playing third grade loomed large, skipper Willie McDonald also jumped ship.
McDonald has not yet decided where he will play this year, but has spoken to both Jamberoo and Mittagong Lions.
"I reckon having third grade teams haven't helped at all. Personally I reckon it's a load of rubbish. People play third grade and that takes away a lot of our player depth," McDonald said.
"Four or five players have gone back to Bundy and there's a few out at Robbo and Bowral who were Mossy juniors I think. The Group needs to look at whether they want a viable first grade comp or just play third grade.
Personally I think it's a waste of time. Some people are not really serious; [they] just want to play footy for fun. It makes it hard when you've got small towns."
And with even more third grade clubs under the Group 6 banner this year with the inclusion of Bundanoon and Bargo, players have even more options than before.
But Group 6 chairman Grahame Andrews said it was issues within the club which had led to Moss Vale's problems and nothing else.
"People may suggest Bundanoon haven't helped but Bundanoon wouldn't provide first grade players," Andrews said.
"It's very very disappointing. They've spoken to prospective players in and out of the Group, but it's too far to travel. I think we can help Moss Vale; we're determined to try and get them back in first grade."
Bundanoon president Chris Ingmire said while a few players had come over from Moss Vale to play for them, they had previously been involved with the club.
"The players that came back were players for us before and had one year at Moss Vale and one other bloke who came to play with his mate," he said.
Former player Tim Small said rather than third grade draining player resources, it was internal issues which led to a lack of players.
"Just one of those transitional years where unfortunately for the club the top players have other pursuits. The committee was probably a bit idle in retaining and securing top players through pre-season and this had a flow on effect down the grades," he said.
While it may be tough times ahead for Moss Vale, the hopes of the club now hang on the juniors.
"The new [junior] committee is doing a good job for the club. We've struggled to get under-18s for the last couple of years [but] the 18s are the best group I've seen at the club for a long time."
Small agreed the future of the club's juniors was looking good.
"Numbers are ok in the juniors which hopefully sees the club lift again next year if they can secure some established first grade players a little earlier. It's such a great club and such a shame to see the club go from premiers to not fielding a team in space of two years."
Moss Vale have not been the only club to struggle.
Bowral Blues may yet have to withdraw from the third grade competition, also due to lack of numbers.
After signing former Moss Vale coach Randall 'Cheeky' Laughton for the 2012 season, Andrews said he had expected to see a boost in the club's numbers.
"I was delighted when the signed Cheeky. I don't know what the problem is."
Strong run: Camden's hooker Matt Jones fobs off the tackle from his Campbelltown City Kangaroos opponent on Sunday during his team's 32-6 win in a trial game at Kirkham Park. Picture: Sean Cunningham
