LAKE Macquarie will have two senior props for the clash against Maitland and club president Jason Wagstaff is confident the Roos will not have to revert to uncontested scrums for the remainder of the first grade season.
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The Roos' position in Premier Rugby is under review after three lop-sided defeats to start the season and dwindling player numbers.
Of most concern is a lack of experienced front-rowers. As a result they have gone to uncontested scrums from kick-off in the opening round 82-3 loss to Merewether and 102-0 demolition against Hamilton on Saturday.
"That is not what we want obviously. If we have to continually revert to uncontested scrums, we will drop back to divisional rugby," Wagstaff said.
"This week, we will have a front-row of Brodie Guest, Ryan Evans (hooker) and Barcelona Lupematasila.
"We are also actively looking for recruits. Gosford have recently folded. Our under-18s coach Don Lawson has contacts on the Central Coast, which is where he is from, and he is trying to source a couple of props. They will be supported by Josh Nico, Brodie Guest and Barcelona."
Similar issues forced Lake Macquarie to withdraw from Premier Rugby halfway through the 2015 season.
They returned in 2016 and finished fifth in 2019. However, after the 2020 season was canned, the majority of those players have departed.
A host of young players have stepped up from the under-18s but they are lacking senior players to support and guide them.
"We dropped the ball at the start of the season coming out of COVID-19," Wagstaff said. "For the first time in our history it is not a finance problem, it is a player problem. Two young guns that we had pencilled, Zane Ferguson and Lachlan McDonald, have been playing with the Wildfires colts
"Our under-18s, which we have built up over 10 years, have come through but there are no senior guys to direct them around the park. The 18s are followed by good groups in the under-16s and 14s. Moving forward, we won't have to rely on the journeymen."
A handful of players had to back up after second grade and play first grade against Hamilton.
"If we have to do that week-in, week-out, we will pull the pin," Wagstaff said. "It is not good for us and it's not good for the clubs that we are playing against.
"The three clubs, specifically the players, that we have played so far have shown true rugby spirit. Even though they put big scores on us, they all appreciated what we are trying to do.
"What we need from our zone executive and other premier clubs is the support required to get us through this season. We need to remain in the premier division, at least in the short term, so that the 150 juniors that we have in our club can see a rugby pathway through to the Wildfires etcetera.
"They are our future. We just need to ensure that we keep them playing for us as they progress into senior rugby. We have already started a recruitment drive for 2022 and have put out expressions of interest in some of the rugby recruitment forums."
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