Kangaroos and Albury will split the points after the Wagga club elected not to travel to the border on Sunday.
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NSW Rugby League implemented a new rule introduced to support clubs impacted by COVID restrictions which saw the clash moved from Equex Centre to Greenfield Park.
However with the decision not coming through until Friday morning, Kangaroos president Peter Hurst said the club would not be in a position for the change of plans.
"Everyone has sat around half cooked all week so it isn't the best preparation for us," Hurst said.
"It looks like we are going to be down on numbers with the way it has panned out deciding on Friday morning.
"I understand it is COVID but this has dragged on all week."
Hurst admitted the players had assumed they would have a bye after Albury admitted they could not travel to Wagga to play.
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When changes to the border bubble were made on Tuesday, the Thunder indicated they weren't in a position to play in Wagga, however the restrictions weren't an issue in Albury.
However with Kangaroos electing not to head to Greenfield Park the first and reserve grade games will be draws while Albury have been credited with forfeits in the leaguetag and Sullivan Cup (under 16s).
As the Wagga club doesn't have a Weissel Cup team (under 18s), Albury will take the two points.
Group Nine president Andrew Hinchcliffe believes the ruling offers a fairer scenario for teams involved.
"I think the new rule that has been introduced covers and protects the Albury club from having to forfeit through circumstances that are purely out of their control," Hinchcliffe said.
"It is a challenging situation for NSW Rugby League to adjust rules to ensure competition fairness is in place and can continue when the government restrictions and COVID situation is changing."
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Gundagai have also lost a point in four grades after the NSWRL ruling was retrospectively applied to their clashes set to be played against Albury at Anzac Park last week.
There is a caveat on the decision requiring Albury to fulfill the rest of their commitments or the results will be changed back to Thunder forfeits.
With the bye next week before concluding the season with clashes against Tumut and Brothers at Greenfield Park, president Rick O'Connell believes the games will go ahead pending any more government changes.
"Unless something dramatic happens I can't see why we are not play those two games," O'Connell said.
However the club will need to weigh up the impact for finals campaigns with their leaguetag side in third place and reserve grade currently fifth.
O'Connell is hoping the border situation will have changed by then.
"That will create another issue but let's just hope something has improved within the month," he said.
However he believes the club now has some more certainty and something to aim for.