By Tallon Smith – originally for the Young News

The balance of power within Group Nine Rugby League has undergone a major shake-up ahead of the 2025 season after a new Competition Board was voted in at the competition’s Annual General Meeting at the Wagga RSL Club on Sunday.

Elected to the competition’s board for season 2025 are delegates Grant Fenn (Tumut), Josh Powderly (Young), Jack Morton (Temora), Marty Hay (Gundagai,) Peter Hurst (Kangaroos), Matt Ridley (Kangaroos), Chas Mascini (Kangaroos), Greg Wiscombe (South City).

Newly elected competition Secretary Greg Wiscombe said that the meeting was productive and composed, despite the vastly differing views between the two factions that had emerged regarding the competition’s proposed grade changes for next season. 

“The meeting went smoothly and all the clubs had their chance to vote,” Wiscombe said.

“By the way the new board was elected, they were looking for a bit of change.”

In terms of the executive, Wiscombe said that all positions were filled, with all members involved in a club and therefore familiar with the challenges that the Group is facing.

“The President is Grant Fenn with Vice Presidents being Marty Hay and Josh Powderly,” he said.

“Secretary is me [Greg Wiscombe], but we are looking to see if that position evolves whether that becomes under the banner of operations manager or similar, and the Treasurer is Chas Mascini.”

One thing Wiscombe said is a real positive for the Group moving forward is the return of Cootamundra to the competition after a five-year absence.

“I think it’s great to have Cootamundra back on board,” he said.

“We had a lot of history, with I think 14 clubs there at one stage back in the 2000s, and we were at a point where we had eight clubs at other stages a few years back with Junee and Brothers both struggling. 

“Now to have Cootamundra back on board and fielding sides in the women’s and the mens, it’s good for the game. 

“Nobody wants to see clubs go by the wayside and it’s even better to see clubs coming back into the fold.

“They look like they have a good steady committee and some good people at the helm.”

One thing that was not decided on Sunday was the length of the competition, with proposals for 14, 16 and 18 round seasons to be discussed at the first General Meeting of the new board next week.

“We are catching up as a Board next Monday or Tuesday night,” Wiscombe said.

“We just need to work out which one suits everybody and then get a few things in order.”

“We’ll strike while the iron is hot and get things happening.”

As for the outgoing board, Wiscombe thanked them for their service to the competition over the past few seasons.

“Doing these sorts of jobs whether it’s a rugby league football club or any board, they are always thankless jobs and you get more criticism than not,” he said.

“Any job that you do is always a thankless job, and I don’t think everybody understands how hard it can be, but everybody has their best interests as to why they want to do these things.

“The outgoing board has done a pretty good job over the past couple of years that they have been in control, and they are very good people.”

Another member elected to the board for next season is experienced Wagga Kangaroos administrator Peter Hurst, with the successful businessman keen to bring his experience to the table for the competition, which has gone through a turbulent period since the onset of the pandemic five years ago.

“It’s really good to be bestowed the honour to be a representative of the Group and be on the board with other like-minded people,” he said.

“I think the board is a pretty good makeup of intricate club administrators who have really good knowledge of clubs’ understandings and workings and business acumen.

“I think it is really important that we look at really really good structures and important well thought out planned decisions going forward in a very emotional space.

“I sent through a list of about 22 things I would like to see us achieve in these twelve months.”

As for the well-publicised and controversial changes to the competition’s grades next season, Hurst said that a determination on the viability of the proposed Under 18 Girls Tackle competition should occur sooner rather than later for the benefit of the Group’s clubs, with only Junee, Young and Albury confident of fielding teams at this stage.

“At the moment it is just about gathering all the information we have to make an informed decision,” he said. 

“At the meeting it was asked of all clubs to give an indication of what teams they would have and three out of the ten indicated that they would have an 18s girls tackle team. 

“We will do some further investigation into that before we make a decision, but we’d like to get some information out there early so the clubs know where they are heading and what they are doing early rather than later, because it will be Christmas before we know it.”