North Tamworth have pulled the pin on their involvement in the Newcastle junior competition in response to tighter public health measures around community sport.
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NSW Health this week issued a number of recommendations to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. They included ceasing 'activities that result in the mixing of participants and staff from different regions'.
Essentially advising against participating in inter-regional or state competitions, the Bears', whose under-18s have been playing in the competition, felt it was the right decision to withdraw.
"We can't go against those guidelines, nor would we want to as a club," Bears co-coach Tom Learoyd-Lahrs said.
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"As a club we don't want to be negligent in the sense that we don't want to go down there and risk community transmission; we don't want to be responsible for anything like that."
While it is disappointing, and "you don't want to be stopping these kids from playing sport", he said as a club they have a responsibility to the community.
The former Kangaroos, Blues and Raiders star was instrumental in the Bears joining the Newcastle competition - knowing what a pivotal year it was in a footballer's development he had doggedly pursued a competition for them to play in after the Group 4 season was cancelled - and they were rising to the challenge.
On the back of their performances in their first two games they had been promoted to the under-19s first division competition.
"It's a good pat on the back for the boys, they did a good job," Learoyd-Lahrs said.
"They played some good footy."
He expressed gratitude to the Newcastle Rugby League for accommodating them, and spoke about possibly returning next year.
"I feel they've been exposed to something a little bit unique," he said.
"Because the Newcastle competition is under-19s we could look at playing next year."
The Farrer under-14s side, which he also coaches, and Farrer under-15s will also take no further part in the competition. The under-15s had previously withdrawn from their game against Valentine in Newcastle due to the increased COVID activity in Newcastle.
