SATURDAY saw the first of at least five double headers scheduled for this Group 4 season, with the day being hailed a success by host club Manilla.
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The Second Division side shared the day and the gate takings with first division club Oxley Diggers, although the home ground advantage did neither club any favours.
While the Tigers put up a good fight but were eventually undone by a better Kootingal Roosters 40-16, the Diggers were on the end of a thrashing.
The Bears averaged a try every four minutes to dismantle the new venture 108-4.
Despite the results, the double header worked well, with four games of football played back to back from 11.30am until first grade finished at 5pm.
Tigers secretary Neil Constable said s the idea definitely has legs.
“It is a bit hard to judge today because it is our first home game,” Constable said.
“A lot of planning goes into it but any spectator would be happy to watch four games rather than two any day.”
The miserable weather also did the club no favours with rain and wind keeping the temperature well below double figures.
While the club may have lost a bit on gate takings it more than made up for it from the canteen.
The cold weather might have stopped a few supporters coming through the gate, but it drove lines of people to the canteen for hot food and drinks.
“The canteen has more than made up for the gate takings split,” Constable said.
“I have already spoken to Diggers about reciprocating later in the year.
“It is all about helping each other out and this idea looks good for everyone.”
Kootingal president Phil Cook isn’t so sure.
The Roosters are one of the only clubs who rent their ground from council.
At $220 a week they would have to make sure they were doubling the crowd to share the day.
“It is a good concept but we would need a much bigger crowd than usual to make it viable,” Cook said.
“It is definitely worth a look and I would be interested to see how Manilla do out of it.”
The next double header will be a big day of football at Scully Park.
The Diggers will host Narrabri before Wests host Wee Waa in an all Group 4 affair on June 1.