NORTH Tamworth Bears coach Scott Blanch has reflected on his "surprise" at Group 4's recent fixture issues.
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Originally slated to begin on May 4, the 2019 season was briefly shifted forward by Group 4 to begin on April 6.
However, the original date was reinstated after a meeting held by the Group 4 board on Monday.
"I think quite a few of the clubs were a bit taken by surprise with the decision to shift the start date to April 6," Blanch said.
"When I heard my instant reaction was 'you can't do that'.
"Every coach structures their pre-season around that date, if it had been moved a week earlier or something like that it would have been fine, but a month is a different story."
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Blanch said he understood the challenges of putting the season's fixture together.
"It's a tough job and I really think all the guys from Group 4 do a great job putting it together," he said.
"They work in with all the clubs and I think that's why it works so well.
"Everyone works together and we are able to get a good result, which in this case is starting on May 4."
Kootingal-Moonbi coach Geoff Sharpe said the recent reshuffling "didn't really bother him".
"To be honest we just roll with the punches," Sharpe said.
"We're just going to keep focusing on getting ourselves ready for the start of the season, whenever that may be."
Sharpe's opinion was shared by Gunnedah Bulldogs head coach John Hickey.
"At the moment our guys are just head down bum up, so it didn't really come up with us," Hickey said.
"For us it is just about concentrating on what we can do to succeed and the other stuff can take care of itself."
Group 4's latest fixture sees the Bulldogs begin their 2019 season with a bye in round one.
"We would rather play in round one but it honestly makes no difference to us," Hickey said.
"Everyone has to have a bye at some stage and for us that's round one.
"We are really looking forward to the season ahead and supporting our guys in the nines competition this weekend."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
