With Cootamundra indicating their intention to play in the George Tooke Shield rather than in Group Nine next year, the former Australian representative has called on more to be done to help all clubs.

Boyd is thrilled to have so many NRL games heading to country areas next year but believes more needs to be done to help smaller rugby league communities.

"I think it is a tremendous concept but they are also helping to kill rugby league to a degree," he said.

"All they are doing is making the big centres stronger and richer and what they should do is bring the game to Wagga or Dubbo but have it run for the group.

"Whatever profit they make out of games if every club sends someone to work they can split the profits evenly or profits go into help develop and coach referees, to coach junior or to play insurance for players and not just give it to the big clubs and make them more and more powerful."

Wagga City Council secured a two-year arrangement with the Raiders to bring a competition game to the Equex Centre, with the option for a third.

They faced Penrith in the first games last year before plans for the second against Newcastle were put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Knights will now play in 2021 however Boyd would like to see a more level playing field.

"I think it is a false economy situation with the way they are doing it," he said.

"I think it is a great concept and it is great for people to be able to go and watch games played very close to them but the way they are doing is just making the big clubs more and more powerful.

"There is one at Wagga next year and I'd say the three Wagga clubs will run it together and if they make $50,000 profit out of the game, which they are quite capable of doing there is $17,000 extra for those clubs when they already have a great advantage over Junee, Cootamundra, Temora with the fact they have so much employment in the community and more people to pick from."

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