By Tallon Smith

In the vast North West region of New South Wales, a footballing competition that has been to the brink of collapse and back has bucked the trend and remained not only viable but continues to thrive.

Following the disastrous 2016 Grand Final, and the loss of the West Tamworth Lions, Oxley Diggers and Wee Waa Panthers, the Group 4 Rugby League hit rock bottom, with only three First Grade teams remaining heading into the 2018 season (Narrabri, North Tamworth and Gunnedah). Grave fears were held for the survival of the game in this proud heartland region.

The competition recovered from this initial crisis by elevating four clubs from the second division, with Kootingal, Dungowan, Boggabri and Werris Creek all making the jump. This did not immediately solve the competition’s problems however, with the second division folding, seeing the loss of Quirindi and Bendemeer among others. 

For now, there was a seven team first grade competition, albeit featuring regular cricket scores and floggings, that kept the game’s head above water in the region. However, with the proud league still teetering on the edge of collapse, someone needed to stand up to save this once proud bush footy competition. Enter local accountant and South Tamworth Cricket Club life member, Terry Psarakis.

Terry stepped up to become Group 4 Chairman in 2021, and as a result, took upon himself the major responsibility of leading the league back to its former glory days of the 1990s and 2000s. And, under his leadership and with the major contributions of the rest of the board, Group 4 has not only stabilised, but grown through one of the most challenging periods for any sporting competition anywhere in the world, the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Last season saw nine clubs contest the Group 4 First Grade competition, with Moree Boars returning from Group 19 during the Pandemic and Manilla moving from Reserve Grade to First Grade in 2022, although the latter has now gone into recess once more for the 2023 season. In recent years, the Reserve Grade stocks were also bolstered by the inclusion of the Barraba Bulldogs, who have since gone into hiatus, partly as a result of the reformation of nearby Bingara in the Group 19 competition this season. Still, the games are far more competitive these days, with the turnaround nothing short of remarkable.

For those who have followed the fall and subsequent rise of Group 4, it has come to the surprise of most that the competition has recovered so well in such a short period of time. However, in speaking with Psarakis it is clear that the competition is in the hands of a deeply committed team destined to ensure it survives.

The Chairman is clearly confident in his product, declaring that he believes that Group 4’s greatest strength going forward is what was once its worst weakness, the “evenness of the competition.”

“Two years ago [when] we had to call it off, we had [four of eight] clubs, Narrabri, Norths, Dungowan and Moree, [who] were all close,” he recalled.

In that season, defending six time champions North Tamworth faced their strongest opposition since the Wests Lions in the early 2010s, with Moree and Dungowan charging under their respective inspirational skippers Stan Swan and Brett Jarrett, and Narrabri aiming to win their first title in 31 years in their centenary season.

Despite the small regression in the competition’s size since then, Psarakis also remains confident that the folding of Manilla will not impact the popularity of the game or the playing stocks of the North West. 

“Manilla players won’t be lost to the game, they’ll just be sprinkled around the other clubs,” he explained.

However, the greatest concern for Group 4 going forward according to Psarakis is the lack of Under 18s players, with only three clubs confirmed to take to the field and three more racing the clock.

“I am worried about Under 18’s for sure,” he said of the player crisis. “We tend to lose them around 14, 15, 16. I don’t know the answer unfortunately…it’s not black and white.”

Psarakis also says that the potential for another ‘Greater Northern Tigers Challenge’ competition between Group 4, 19 and 21 clubs to create a more substantial under 18s competition was not the ideal solution long-term.

“The distance from Tamworth to Moree is three hours, let alone Moree to Singleton. Just because [the competitions] look next to each other on a map does not mean that they are close.” 

The famous local rugby league school Farrer Memorial Agricultural High have partnered with Dungowan for the season to field their Under 18 side and are joined by Kootingal and Werris Creek in having all but confirmed their participation. Gunnedah, Moree and Narrabri will round out a six team under 18 competition if all goes to plan.

On a final note, the Chairman confirmed Group 4 will play on the weekend following Tamworth’s annual NRL game, something which hasn’t been possible the last few years due to scheduling clashes and should see an increase in local attendances due to the momentum generated by such a large rugby league event.

“We’ve decided since the [Souths v Wests] game is on a Friday night that we will still play that weekend,” he said.

Through the conversation with Psarakis, who as mentioned before was a cricket administrator primarily before stepping up into the Group 4 role, it seems that the competition is in the hands of a passionate local who is determined to ensure the success of the competition long beyond his tenure as Chairman. Group 4 continues to lead the way in the Northern region, with their public relations and promotion, timely draw publishing and community atmosphere setting a blueprint for sustainable local football at a level high enough to attract talented players but accessible enough for locals who just want to play footy.

2023 shapes up to be a big year for Group 4, and many across the region and the state more broadly will be watching to see how one of the most historic rugby league competitions continues to rise from the ashes of a difficult few years to cement itself as a footballing powerhouse in the years to come.

The 2023 Group 4 draw will be released next week, with the season to start on the weekend of the 15/16 of April, and the Grand Final pencilled in for Sunday August 20th.