And he believes that the ex-Manilla players who have joined other clubs would return if the Tigers reformed for next year.

“You’d think if Manilla get going again they’d go back next year,” he said, with the 31-year-old adding: “I don’t know how many more years I’ve got left in me now.”

Last week Group 4 announced that Manilla had withdrawn their reserve grade and ladies league tag sides from the 2018 season due to a lack of reserve-grade players. 

Tigers president Jennene Beale said the club was “getting zero to training”.

Carney said the Tigers “lost before the season started”.

He said: “I just think a couple of boys had kids … In a small town it makes it [getting a team together] hard.

“You want a good 21 [players] or something hanging around. But you can only play 19, or whatever it is, so it’s hard to have fellas training but not playing each week.

“It was just a numbers thing. It just wasn’t our year. There was interest in other places. People have got other things on.”

Carney, who plays first-grade cricket for Old Boys, said he was considering playing for the Tigers this year after missing the back end of last season with a back injury.

He said: “I was definitely keen to play, but with cricket it sort of makes it hard.”

With Manilla no more, Carney said he may return to North Tamworth this year. He played in the Bears’ 2014 Clayton Cup-winning side, adjudged NSW’s best country outfit. 

“I’m deciding whether to play this season or hang boots up,” he said.

Manilla celebrated their 100th anniversary last year. Rugby league legend Dally Messenger started league in the town in 1917.