GROUP 4 Rugby League officials have added a female touch – or more correctly a female tag – to this weekend’s annual Wests Knockout.
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G4 officials invited ladies’ league tag sides to enter this year and 12 teams have entered the annual KO.
Werris Creek’s Magpie women and the North Tamworth Bears women will be the first ladies league tag teams to play with a 10am kickoff at Scully Park No 2 while Wests play Kootingal women at 10.45am.
Then follow Barraba v Bendemeer (11.30am), Dungowan v Boggabri (12.15pm), Oxley Diggers v Manilla (1pm) and Walcha v Gunnedah.
The ladies’ league tag final will be played Sunday from 1.30pm.
The male KO is split into first and second division, with the second division played in a knockout format while the six-team first division would be played in a round robin format, G4 secretary Mick Schmiedel said.
“It means the first division sides will get at least two games,” Schmiedel said.
“We’ve split them into two pools. West, Oxley Diggers and Narrabri in one and Gunnedah, North Tamworth and Wee Waa in the other.”
The second division KO final will kick off at 2.30pm Sunday and the first division final at 3.30pm.
Schmiedel said the KO would allow the first division sides a few more games before starting their premiership season on April 27.
“We decided earlier this year to make the Knockout a week before Easter in the future to save any confusion,” Schmiedel said.
“We also structured the draws so that everyone had the June long weekend off.”
However the loss of Bingara and the decision by Quirindi to play as West Tamworth’s second grade trimmed the second division to eight teams.
Instead of asking for a re-draw and eliminating a bye, the second division clubs have elected to retain the original draw and have two clubs enjoying a bye on the same weekend.