The push for Canowindra to form an under 18s side gathered pace when a specially convened meeting brought about “more positives than negatives” at the Canowindra Services Club on Tuesday night.
The Tigers are looking for a nursery for some of their most talented junior players who are often lured away to Group 10 clubs such as the Cowra Magpies and Orange CYMS.
But a productive discussion attended by Group 10 secretary Peter McDonald and 16 potential players has given Canowindra the green light to form a junior side in either the Woodbridge Cup or Group 10.
Canowindra official Barry Traves said ideally the Tigers will play alongside their senior outfit in a proposed Woodbridge Cup junior competition, but did leave the door open for entry into Group 10 if the former does not eventuate.
There is a February 10 cut-off for Woodbridge Cup clubs to nominate a junior side.
“The feeling was they would try and push to have an under 18s competition in the Woodbridge Cup,” Traves said.
“That would be the preferred idea and easier to manage seeing a lot of fellas played against those fellas in (Group 11) junior league.
“If they couldn’t form a competition by then, we could still get in in plenty of time for Group 10.”
An under 18s competition in the Woodbridge Cup is set to include between four and six teams.
Traves admitted if Canowindra opted to compete with Group 10’s juniors, there would be some concerns about the Tigers’ competitiveness.
“The one major concern with the Group 10 competition was competing with the stronger sides,” he conceded.
“Injuries would be a concern if a few of the more mature players were hurt, depth might be tested.
“But a few of other players would improve playing in that standard of competition.
“Canowindra Junior League has been strong for a number of years.
“Five sides made the semis last season and two teams, the 10s and 11s, won the competition.
“(But) after discussions, it was more positive than negative to go ahead with the idea.”
Canowindra products have certainly helped CYMS and Cowra in Group 10 under 18s for several seasons.
Magpie Haydon Hodge gained NSW Country under 18s honours in 2008, while Ronald Laurence has helped CYMS to a previous Group 10 junior title.
“As Peter McDonald said, Canowindra players have definitely helped Cowra in the last five or six years.”
McDonald said if Canowindra were to link up with Group 10, that would take the under 18s
competition to 10 teams and mean a completely different schedule to the draft draw.
He added: “If they were to play that would be 10 teams. They had 16 names, but they probably want another half-dozen more.”
Canowindra has settled on a steering committee to continue exploring the idea before coming to a decision in the New Year.
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