BROTHERS will not field a first grade team in this year's Group Nine competition.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The proud Wagga club sensationally dropped the bombshell on Friday following weeks of speculation around their future.
Brothers have put a proposal to the Group Nine Rugby League board that they will not field a first grade team in this year's competition.
The development comes two months out from the start of the season amid mass player departures.
Brothers remain hopeful of staying in the Group Nine competition for the upcoming season, similar to Junee's plight over the past two years, and are confident of fielding reserve grade, leaguetag and under 18 teams.
Brothers president Zac Wilson said the club is hellbent on ensuring the situation is for one-year only.
"As a result of significant player movements away from our club, we have provided the Group Nine board with a proposal for our club to not field a Group Nine first grade team for the 2023 season," Wilson said in a club statement.
MORE SPORT NEWS
"We strongly believe that this will be isolated to the 2023 season and we will continue to do everything we can to rectify this situation for the 2024 season.
"Our proposal to the board is to allow our club to field three teams in Group Nine competitions this year, including reserve grade, ladies leaguetag and under 18's.
"The board will consider our proposal in due course and a decision will be made shortly."
Brothers began pre-season training last month but did so without a first grade coach after James Hay and Brodie Rigg stepped down.
Wilson wished to thank the club's players and supporters for backing the difficult decision.
"The Wagga Brothers Seniors executive would like to thank the continued support of all our current players, past committee members, sponsors, volunteers, supporters and the Wagga Brothers Juniors club in making this decision and putting this proposal forward to the board," the statement read.
"We are a club with a strong history in Group Nine and a proud record of recent club achievements including many ladies leaguetag premierships and our under 16's team winning the 2022 premiership."
MORE TO COME
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Download our app from the Apple Store or Google Play
- Bookmark dailyadvertiser.com.au
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
