GROUP Three Rugby League has decided to cancel the 2020 season in the wake of the COVID-19 panic, which has caused enormous disruptions for every sport in the Macleay.
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NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) announced last week that competitions throughout the State could start playing again from July 18.
Ultimately, the decision was left to the local clubs though, and they voted against a competition this year.
A choice which the Group Three chief executive Mal Drury says came down to one key point.
"The Group 3 Senior Rugby League Competition has been cancelled for 2020 following a vote received from clubs last Friday," he said.
"The loss of sponsors was the major contributing factor, along with the uncertainty regarding COVID-19.
"We will convene a general meeting to discuss certain issues once restrictions are lifted, and we return to some form of normality."
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Licensed pubs and hotels sponsor the majority of clubs, and while these venues remain shut, with no date yet announced when they might be able to re-open, there is no guarantee of sponsorship.
There are also doubts whether spectators would be able to attend games due to current social distancing and group gathering rules, further impacting income streams.
The length of the season and possibly playing games in late October was another factor, some clubs said.
The cost of paying registration and insurance fees, reported to be as much as $15,000, was also cited as a concern.
Group Three chairman Wayne Bridge had misgivings about the competition starting but stressed the final decision would be up to the clubs.
At this stage, Group Three Junior Rugby League will still work towards starting their competition from July 15.
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