By “The Battler”

In between enjoying daylight savings and a few yarns at the pub, the Battler has been spending his off-season with his ear to the ground, listening for any rumblings from the Riverina and beyond.

With signings and changes aplenty across the bush, here is a look at the top stories driving the bush footy rumour so far mill this month.

Here is your update for October.

Hay’s signing spree

The Hay Magpies have signalled their intent to shed the tag of Group 20 cellar dwellers in 2025 after a strong recruitment drive for next season.

The Magpies have embarked on an early off-season signing spree over the past few weeks, securing the services of Ben Arandt and Will Barnes upon their return to Group 20 from playing in the French Elite Leagues.

Harley Hey will also graze the paddock at Hay Park Oval next season after the local legend confirmed he was coming out of retirement last month.

The Magpies have also locked in their coach for 2025, with former Wagga Kangaroo Chris Stewart to lead the Hay club’s First Grade team next season.

The brother of the Kangaroos’ starting Grand Final lock from this year, Harry Stewart, Chris will bring further experience back to the plains.

Zac O’Neill will lead the Reserves and Jessie Carter the League Tag/Women’s Tackle squad.

Meanwhile, veteran prop Simon Parr is set to go around again next year in another boost for the club, who are looking to break a 30-year premiership drought over the next few seasons.

No cause for concern in the Illawarra

Despite rumours swirling on social media and up and down the streets of Wollongong and its suburbs, there is no cause for concern about the immediate future of the Illawarra Division Rugby League.

The Illawarra Rugby League confirmed to Battlers For Bush Footy earlier this week that a First Grade competition will run in 2025, with the region’s five leading clubs (Collegians, Corrimal, Dapto, Thirroul and Wests) all set to enter sides in the competition.

Concerns had been raised over whether the Division would hold a First Grade or any senior competitions next season, with only four clubs rumoured to have been interested in fielding a side.

The source of the matter lay in the fact that the De La Salle Caringbah club has reportedly expressed a desire to join the Ron Massey Cup in 2025, to compete in the Sydney region instead of having to travel an hour down the coast every second weekend.

However, the uncertainty escalated when chatter began surrounding the idea that a prominent Wollongong club was set to follow, leaving the competition with just four First Grade sides.

These rumours all proved to be unfounded, with the club in question committed to the local competition next season.

Meanwhile, although rugby union converts Avondale Wombats have been linked with a potential rise to the top grade competition next season to fill De La Salle’s shoes as the sixth club, that matter is yet to be discussed.

Alternatively, one or both of the Berkeley or Helensburgh clubs could also re-join the First Grade competition over the course of the next decade to boost its numbers, though the League said that any changes in grading must be sustainable long term.

The Division’s lower grades look healthy, with all eight clubs who contested last year’s Reserves competition, and the eight who played in the Third Grade Shield all set to return in 2025.

The combined Under 18s Southern Corridor Competition with the Cronulla and St George districts is also set to return in 2025, with the league reportedly in favour of the two-division model, which allowed a young Port Kembla side the opportunity to compete this year in the Silver competition, while Wests, Corrimal and eventual premiers Thirroul were able to test themselves against The Shire’s best in the Gold division.

Finally, the NSWRL has also reportedly stated that any Wollongong club leaving the local competition will be expected to maintain their First Grade side in the local competition and, where possible, also field a side in the Sydney Shield, meaning that any club with the ambition of heading to Sydney’s premier community club competition needing to field three senior teams.

This follows the precedent set for Wyong and The Entrance, who field First and Second grade sides in the Central Coast competition in addition to their premier grade side in Newcastle.

Coota’s call

The Cootamundra Bulldogs are yet to make a call on where they will play in 2025, with the possibility remaining (although weak) that all nine Group 9 clubs may field an Under 18s side next season.

Despite rumours circulating on social media, the Bulldogs have not yet decided where they will be playing next season, with the club set to prioritise discussions with the Canberra Region Rugby League about timing a potential exit, with Club President Stephen Howse saying that the Canberra League has been “very good” to the club after accepting they departed Group 9 in 2021.

The Battler’s hot tip: look for them to spend next season in the George Tooke Shield.

The ailing competition needs numbers for next year and may be down to just six clubs in 2025 after concerns have been raised about the ability of the Binalong and University of Canberra clubs to field teams.

Deni looking to muster support

Having formed a committee for the first time since 1977, the Deniliquin Blue Heelers’ attention has now turned to looking to gain support at the ProTen Community Cup Annual General Meeting.

Under the current format of a six game matchday (3 men’s and 3 women’s games), the a seventh team could be accepted with little alteration to the overall draw or the format itself.

Concerns have been raised that clubs will clamour for the bye in the Ivanhoe round to avoid the long road trip, however Battlers For Bush Footy has seen strong rebukes to this idea on Facebook, with most people stating that they enjoy the unique bus trip to one of the most isolated rugby league towns in the state.

Alternatively, should things go wrong, these fears could also be alleviated by the introduction of a rotating draw where byes change each season.

ProTen Community Cup President Brent Parsons has previously indicated that the competition is willing to work with the Blue Heelers and its six current member clubs to achieve an outcome that best suits all parties.

Group 9 plans set to proceed

Group 9’s plans to move the Under 16s to the Junior League are set to forge ahead next season despite the opposition of many of the competition’s clubs to the change.

Insiders have told Battlers For Bush Footy that there was a snap meeting between the NSWRL Board and club volunteers, which has been described differently by both parties.

The clubs aired their belief that it would cost them sponsors and volunteers, given that Under 16s players need their parents to drive them to games, therefore providing a large source of volunteers to the Senior club that Under 18s alone may not.

The NSWRL countered, supporting the Group’s plans for an Under 18 Girls Tackle competition, which they argued is set to capitalise on booming female interest and increase overall participation in the game.

Given that the Group 9 competition board, which many of the club board members don’t hold seats on, and the NSWRL Board are on the same page, it appears likely that the plans will forge ahead.

Given that Group 20’s juniors and seniors play together right from Under 6s to First Grade, any change is unlikely to affect that competition.

At present, Group 9 and Group 20 are the only competitions in the state with Under 16s in the juniors, whilst the region’s Australian rules competitions, which are traditionally strong in the Riverina, are also aligned with the model of Under 18s (or 17.5s for the Riverina League) being the first age group in Senior football.