“I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
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For CYMS chairman Kevin Walkom, his club as a whole and the general footy fan around the western region, the matter of the Fishies’ proposed switch to Group 10 feels like it has been dragging on for the entire off-season.
But the final decision is getting closer, with the Group 10 clubs to vote at a meeting on Wednesday night on whether to allow CYMS to join or not.
If the vote is in favour of the move, then the matter will again go back to the Western Rams board.
“In this particular process, I can see it’s coming to a decision,” Walkom said on Monday morning.
Walkom revealed he spoke with Western Rams Rugby League chairman Peter McDonald on Monday, who confirmed the matter of the CYMS switch had been discussed at the Country Rugby League (CRL) annual general meeting on Friday.
This followed on from CRL chief executive Terry Quinn saying last week CYMS should “stick for the moment” in Group 11.
Walkom added it was clear some CRL members had been swayed after reading the proposal and discussing the matter, which no longer is receiving the emphatic no it did last week.
Group 10 chairmain Linore Zamparini confirmed his board will meet with the competition's clubs.
"We will be meeting, yes, and both the Group 10 committee and clubs will have a vote regarding the issue," he said.
And while it seems that vote will go a long way to finalising the matter, Walkom felt it wouldn’t be the end of his side campaigning for a switch even if the clubs said no.
“Not necessarily, no,” he said, before adding all the interaction he’d had with the Group 10 board up to now had been positive.
“We’ve met with them and had lengthy discussions and there were questions raised and asked but we feel they’ve been addressed. I feel the feedback we’ve got and the meeting last week was all very positive.”
If the Group 10 clubs do vote in favour it will prompt a crucial discussion within the Rams board.
Western sided with Group 11 earlier this month when saying CYMS should stay in its current competition. But the board will be forced to analyse the proposal once more should another Group under its jurisdiction be officially keen on the move.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
