It is hoped that Wests Entertainment Group's return to sponsoring Group 4 seniors after a four-year absence will soon lead to it again being the organisation's major sponsor, Group 4 interim chairman Terry Psarakis has said.
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WEG is the naming sponsor of Group 4's inaugural four-team 9s competition, which will be held at Scully Park in October.
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It is WEG's first sponsorship of Group 4 - other than supporting its referees - since it withdrew all sponsorship from the organisation after ugly scenes marred the 2016 grand final between North Tamworth and Wests Lions.
Psarakis - WEG deputy chairman - said it was "very good to have Wests Entertainment Group as our major sponsor" for the 9s.
"So hopefully we'll do a good job, and we will do a job," he said. "So hopefully it leads to bigger and better things [with Wests]."
Wests withdrawing its sponsorship in 2016 had a devastating impact on Group 4, as its sponsorship reach at the time included Group 4, the West Tamworth Lions - rebranded the South West Robins in 2017 and now in reserve grade, and Oxley Diggers - rebranded the now-defunct Collegian Warriors.
Psarakis was a first-year committee member at Group 4 when its chairman Ray McCoy stood down in July after announcing the cancellation of the Group 4 season due to COVID.
A decision on McCoy's successor will be made at Group 4's annual general meeting in November.
Wests chief executive Rod Laing said it was "too early to say" if the group would take on a more substantial sponsorship role with Group 4.
But he said Wests' sponsorship of the 9s was, in part, "a sign of confidence in the new Group 4 board".
