GROUP Three Rugby League will delay a decision on the fate of this weekend's games until Friday.
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However, group chief executive Mal Drury admits the round is in doubt due to the continued wet weather and ground closures.
Matches are planned at Old Bar, Port Macquarie Regional Stadium, Wauchope, Wingham and Kendall (Mid North Coast Women's Rugby League) this weekend.
More rain is predicted for later in the week, adding to the problems.
"We'll give the clubs until Friday, unless they contact me earlier to say their grounds are unplayable,'' Mr Drury said.
Wingham officials will inspect their ground this afternoon (Wednesday, May 8). However, captain-coach Mitch Collins isn't optimistic that Sunday's game against Forster-Tuncurry would go ahead.
"The field's saturated - there's water everywhere,'' he said
Four spare weekends have been included in this year's draw to accommodate the nine team under 18 competition. There are eight sides in the other grades.
The Taree City/Old Bar match, postponed from last Saturday when the Jack Neal Oval was closed, has been slotted in the first free weekend on Saturday, May 19.
"That's not ideal, because Old Bar's under 18s have to play Port Sharks in the games at Lake Cathie on the Sunday, while Taree City has the bye,'' Mr Drury said.
"That's unfortunate, but it could happen to any side.''
No football is planned for the June long weekend (June 8-10), while there are further spare weekends for the league tag, reserve grade and first grade on June 29/30 and July 27/28.
The group had planned to play the Group Three/Indigenous All Stars games on June 30 at Wauchope. These games were rescheduled from April 13 when the Wauchope ground was closed following wet weather.
Mr Drury said club matches would take precedence should that weekend be required for postponed fixtures.
"We would have to look for another date for the All Star games,'' he said.
Mr Drury agreed the continued wet weather is reminiscent of the start of the 2022 season. This eventually saw the group revamping the finals series to four teams and extending the season by a week.
"We could do with a break in the weather so our fields can start to dry out,'' he said.
