Clash between Gundagai and Young abandoned due to floodwaters

Floodwaters inundated the ground on Saturday with all of the surrounds and the majority of the playing surface covered in water.

Group Nine chairman Andrew Hinchcliffe did not believe there was any other alternative but to make the call.

"It's unfortunate and while football is football the other thing I've been trying to weigh up is the community will be in a state of flux in Gundagai at the moment and I'm probably thinking more about that," Hinchcliffe said.

"There was talk about relocations and moving the game but at the end of the day the community in Gundagai is going through a pretty tough time, there will be people moving livestock, people locked in and in different situations and it is important we allow them to concentrate on the things that need to be concentrated on."

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Gundagai also didn't feel they were in a position to play at a different venue.

Secretary Martin Hay revealed the club's strapping, gear and a number of players' boots were still in the dressing sheds when the floodwaters arrived.

"We can't get in to get our stuff out of the ground," Hay said.

Hay said there was water about halfway up the walls in the dressing shed.

All four games, with Gundagai not fielding a Sullivan Cup team this season, will now be draws.

It's a source of frustration for Young with their leaguetag team banking on picking up two points to ensure they remain ahead of Tumut in the battle for fifth.

The Cherrypickers' Weissel Cup outfit are also in a tight race for a top-three finish.

President Josh Powderly would have liked to have seen the day moved but understood the decision.

"It is what is what and there is not much you can do about it," Powderly said.

"You can't tell when the river is going to rise, when it is not and what it is going to do.

"It can catch people by surprise and it would have been nice to play somewhere else but it is not to be."

It also means Young's first grade outfit will now have three weeks off in a row before a clash with Temora in the final round of the season.

Captain-coach Nick Cornish admitted it will be far from ideal preparation for a finals campaign.

"It's not ideal at all, not only for us but for our whole club but what can you do really?," Cornish said.

"There is nothing you can do.

"We've just three weeks (off), played about three games and now we have another three weeks (off).

"Coming into finals we just haven't had that consistent footy and after Tumut it shows that we really need it.

"It hurts us a little bit."

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