A severe leg injury to an Orange City player marred the second grade match between the Lions and Dubbo Kangaroos on Saturday.
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The Blowes Clothing Cup game was stopped with about ten minutes to go in the first half, with an ambulance needed, following a tackle gone wrong.
The game was then moved from the main field at Pride Park to the secondary ground, where a 12-man Lions outfit were well and truly outmatched as the contest finished 41-5.
Lions manager Tim West said a combination of illnesses saw the side depleted for the contest, with many a third grader having to back up just to field a side.
"We didn't realise that so many were pulling out at the last minute, this is what the flu and COVID do," he said.
"Those 12 boys out there epitomise what this club's about. It should have been 70 or 80 to nil. It was a gutsy effort and sometimes it's not about the scoreboard."
Liam McAnulty was City's lone try scorer.
And while the Lions were playing shorthanded, Dubbo coach Greg Knaggs was quick to point out that they were dealing with their own crop of absentees.
"We were four men down ourselves as three men never turned up. We actually dragged four of our third graders into play as well," he said.
"Whilst City was depleted, we certainly didn't have it our own way either.
"It shows plenty of heart from the boys, a bit of mateship. Everyone was having a bit of a laugh, both teams were having a bit of a laugh. Once kickoff started, it got serious and we did our job."
He added that the change of ground didn't impact the flow of the game, and highlighted the performances of Tavis Vaughan Joe Finch as the main drivers behind the win.
"At the end of the day, it's all about structure," Knaggs said.
"If you got a few structures in place, you just play footy."
DUBBO KANGAROOS 41 (Josh Lees 3, Tavis Vaughn, Chris Sellings and Maika Seresere tries; Josh Lees 3 conversions) defeated ORANGE CITY 5 (Liam McAnulty try).
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