A single training run hardly put coach Ron McCarthy's mind to rest with the Dolphins scheduled to meet the defending champions of the Lower Mid North Coast competition, the Manning River Ratz, at the Dolphins' Tuncurry home ground, Peter Barclay Field, this Saturday, April 24.

The return of the 2019 premiership-winning backrower, Hal Honema'u, at the clubhouse as leader of the quartet of Tongans, men all hefty enough to occupy front row positions in most NSW Country club sides, was particularly gratifying as he proved a devastating runner in 2019.

But dependability is not always the Tongans' finest attribute as the Dolphins learned in their unbeaten premiership-winning season of 2019 when one of the Tongan players of that winter preferred to attend a 21st birthday celebration in Sydney, an absence which cost him a position in the premiership play-offs because of his inadequate number of qualifying games.

Last Saturday's scheduled opening round of the competition was postponed a week to this Saturday because of the disruption to all of the five clubs' training, due to the floods.

The likelihood is that coach McCarthy will initially play the new Tongan forwards off the bench as he has never seen them train at scrummaging, let alone play, relying on hardy prop veterans, 300-gamer, Ben Manning, and former Bathurst Bulldogs premiership-winning loose-head, Aaron Booby, to prop industrious new hooker, Matt Britza.

Former Penrith Emus' first grade hooker, Mark Coble, supervised a pleasing scrummaging session last Thursday night when newcomer Booby was especially impressive.

Coach McCarthy is considering Jesse Logan, the former Mid North Coast representative winger, to replace Matt Nuku as goal-kicking five-eighth while Liam Brady has trained pleasingly at halfback with captain Mark Hagarty and Mark Quillan forming a penetrative centre combination.

Returning premiership winger Trae Wilkins has brought his younger brother, Braydon, to training, a winger turning 20 this week with speed to burn, already being compared to the club's former champion try-scorer, Jack Nicholson.

Likewise, while the Dolphins lack two-metre tall "monsters" for the lineouts, the Dolphins' drills worked well last week with speedy winger, Steve Stanton, displaying agility if not natural jumping talents.

The best news of the autumn came from the Old Bar Clams' club meeting last week, in which the dual champions of the Lower MNC voted to continue in the Kennards Hire competition despite poor numbers at training.

Club president, Brian Groughan, anticipates utility back, Phil Koch, will be voted team captain.

Premiers in 2009 and 2011, the Clams are at home at Richard Crook Field, Old Bar, to the Wauchope Thunder, the dark horses of the competition.

The Wallamba Bulls men's team have the bye as the Gloucester Cockies have withdrawn their team due to inadequate numbers.

Coach Peter White has retired from coaching the Bulls with Daniel Sawyer taking the role, coach of the Wallamba women's team which claimed last year's premiership.

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