By Tallon Smith

The bush footy rumour mill has entered overdrive this week after a series of rumours pertaining to the potential entrance of the newly re-formed Deniliquin RLFC into the ProTen Community Cup, and the implications this would have on the future of the Narrandera Lizards and the competition as a whole.

The misunderstanding centres around a Facebook post which advertised the Deniliquin club’s AGM and mentioned their de facto acceptance into the Proten Community Cup competition, and a mythical by-law that states that the competition could not operate under its current format with seven clubs.

Battlers For Bush Footy understands that the source of the confusion was word of mouth agreements between Deniliquin Blueheelers founder Kurt Longford and five of the six clubs, which indicated that the club is likely to be accepted into the ProTen Community Cup, but hold no formal status, with a vote required by the six existing clubs to determine their acceptance.

If they were to be accepted, Deniliquin could join as the seventh club, a format that would work with the same three game matchday (with one club getting a bye each week), and no team needing to be forced out, while options are also on the table, such as Deniliquin joining another competition.

NSWRL Bidgee Region Area Manager Dave Skinner said that there is no cause for panic, as the state governing body seeks to accommodate the renaissance of rugby league in the Riverina, which has bounced back from a difficult few years.

“The game is growing and more clubs are starting up, we just need to find somewhere for them all to play,” he said.

Another rumour going around the area is that if a seventh team is admitted to the competition, it will lose ‘Community Cup’ status.

ProTen Community Cup President Brent Parsons said there is no reason as to why a seventh club wouldn’t be accepted, with no such by-law existing to the best of his knowledge.

“I’ve never heard of that 7-team by-law around NSW Rugby League,” he said.

“I asked [Competition Publicity Officer] Jamie [Parsons] last night, and Jamie’s never heard of it either.

“If there’s one person who’s gonna know about it, be all over the rules and by-laws, it’s Jamie.”

Despite further rumours which are circulating around the district in the wake of these developments, the Narrandera Lizards have not made any decision yet on whether to leave the Proten Community Cup for Group 20 or any other competition next season.

Narrandera Representative Corey Prior said that the club is still yet to decide what their best approach is for 2025.

“All options are being explored for next year, Narrandera has made no decisions,” he said.

“We are going to do what’s best for our club.”

The Deniliquin club, which won three Group 17 premierships from 1969-71, will hold its formal AGM in late July, as the club aims to field teams for the first time in 50 years beginning in 2025.

The Blueheelers are one of three clubs to form or re-form in 2024, with new Wagga team Estella Storm competing in the Group 9 Women’s Tackle competition, while Coolamon Raiders have returned via a junior setup after last competing in the Wagga Second Division Kennedy Shield in the 1990s.