By PUBLICITY OFFICER

With the 2023 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League season well and truly on the horizon and fast approaching, the competition has been dealt a major blow with the Trangie Rams indicating that they will not be fielding any teams this year.

A few weeks ago, the Rams gave notice that they would not have a League Tag side this year, as did the Coonabarabran Unicorns, but whilst the Unicorns will be fielding a first-grade side this year after sitting out last year, Trangie have now announced that they will be not taking the field in any grade.

Their withdrawal has sent Castlereagh officialdom into a frenzy as they scramble to arrive at a solution for what now becomes a very complex situation in regard to the 2023 competition draw.

An earlier Trangie Rams training session. IMAGE: facebook

Castlereagh Secretary Bryson Luff explained that it is not simply a matter of having a bye when a club was drawn to play the Rams.

“As per the wishes of the clubs we had a 14-round draw in place for our ten clubs. The clubs were randomly drawn into two pools of five, with each club playing the other clubs in their same pool twice, and the clubs from the other pool once,” Luff explained.

“Now, with the withdrawal of the Rams, we have a situation that the clubs drawn in the same pool as Trangie will get two byes throughout the year, whilst the clubs in the other pool will only get one bye each. This is hardly an ideal or equitable situation!” he continued.

“The Castlereagh Board of Directors will be meeting Monday night (3^rd April) to see what, if anything, can be done but at the moment it is all up in the air as far as our draw is concerned with time rapidly running out to come up with a solution with our annual knockout taking place on 15^th April.”