This is to allow matches deferred from the weekend of June 4/5 because to wet weather to be played along with the Macleay/Forster-Tuncurry clash, originally set down for this weekend. The Hawks and Mustangs will now meet on July 10 at Tuncurry. This is the second week of the split round.

Mustangs officials expressed concerns with the revised draw originally suggested by the group and a special meeting called this week.

“It would have meant they were away from home for five successive weeks and they considered that unfair for their players and supporters,’’ Group Three secretary Barrie Smith said.

“They also have a big NAIDOC Day planned for July 3 where they’ll have a number of visitors coming into the area. This was to culminate in the match against Forster-Tuncurry. Had we gone ahead with the original revised draw the game would have been taken away from Kempsey. I can understand their concerns.’’

Mr Smith said matches deferred from June 4/5 will now be played the weekend of August 20/21. This was to be the first week of the semi-finals. Grand finals will be be played on Sunday September 18 and not Sunday September 11.

The revision also means the start of the semi-finals will not clash with Taree-Wingham Race Club’s Gold Cup meeting on Sunday August 21.

The group’s presentation will now be on Friday September 9. This will be a week before the grand final. It was decided at the group’s annual meeting to have the presentation on the week of the preliminary final.

Mr Smith said clubs the special meeting was over within an hour, which he admits surprised him..

“I thought we were in for a long night,’’ he said.

“But the clubs agreed to put the competition back and it was all over pretty quickly.’’

While it wasn’t discussed at this week, Mr Smith said programming more free weekends or split rounds in the draw to counter problems caused by wet weather or other issues will certainly be on the agenda in the future. At the group’s annual meeting last November clubs voted to play a competition this year that virtually didn’t have any breaks from the season’s kick off to the grand final weekend.

“It’s easy now in hindsight to see that a mistake was made there,’’ he said.

“I think next year we’ll need more breaks and that could mean an earlier start.’’

The draw for season 2017 will be determined by clubs at the group’s annual meeting in November.

Meanwhile as reported by the Times online this week, former NRL star Jamal Idris will start for Wingham in tomorrow’s clash against Old Bar at Wingham.

This will be Wingham’s annual charity day, with funds raised for the Cancer Council, Asthma Foundation and Westpac Helicopter Service.

Idris will be in the front row. In other Group Three matches tomorrow Wauchope will host Port Macquarie while fourth placed Taree City will meet fourth placed Port City in the match of the round at the Jack Neal Oval.