UPDATED

BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

The Camden Rams and group officials are facing backlash from rival clubs over the recent announcement of the Wests Tigers Macarthur representative team which is made up of the best players running around in the local first grade premiership.

Several weeks ago, the first squad list was released to play Illawarra South Coast Dragons at Albion Park on Saturday 2nd of March which Wests Tigers won 36-24.

The side featured Camden Rams captain/coach Brad Speechley, who also doubled as selector, and six of his teammates.

In an email obtained by the81stminute.com, sent from Macarthur Rugby League to clubs, it was explained that sides would receive a “points dispensation” for season 2024 for each player selected.

“Clubs will have the opportunity to receive a points dispensation per player will be given to a player that commits to the program in full,” the email reads.

“The player will drop down a category and then stay at that points category for as long as they remain at club they were registered at in 2024 until such time as they reach the next category down.”

This would mean that former Canterbury Bulldogs prop Danny Fualalo, Camden’s reigning Best and Fairest winner, would drop in cap points for the Rams in 2024.

The81stminute.com is not suggesting any wrongdoing by Speechley but just a week later it appears the entire representative squad failed in their commitments and possible dispensations after forfeiting to Newcastle and their scheduled match at Cessnock Sportsground.

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“Unfortunately, this weekends [sic] round 2 Country Championships match has been forfeited by Macarthur due to their lack of available players,” the Tooheys Newcastle Rugby League Facebook page posted.

In response, Speechley has told the81stminute.com that all clubs were contacted with some refusing to release their stars for the opening game.

“I was asked to try get a competitive team together with players that were available and thought I did that considering we beat Illawarra for [the] first time in seven years,” Speechley said.

Meanwhile fixturing for round one of the Macarthur Rugby League first grade premiership remains in limbo with grave concerns for the fledgling South West Goannas and their ability to keep competitive teams on the field in both first grade and reserves.

The Goannas survived the axe at the end of 2023 and just recently announced the signing of former NRL star Sam Takairangi but he has not been sighted at training for several weeks and is believed to be shopping himself around.

On the weekend, the club could manage just 16 players for their first grade trial and forfeited their reserve grade clash.

@woodward_curtis