Just a year after taking out the top tier Caldwell Cup, Central West slumped to fourth, after back-to-back losses to Illawarra on Saturday and then Central Coast yesterday.

“It is disappointing,” Central West coach Mick Gray said.

“I think at the end of the day we just needed a few more runs together. It did come together, and we had the majority of the squad we wanted.

“A dry track would have helped us too, but that’s part of rugby. There’s no real excuses for us. I’m under the impression we do get relegated to the (second tier) Richardson Shield for next year, but it’s not 100 per cent yet I don’t think.”

Illawarra trumped Central West 14-3 in atrocious conditions in Saturday’s preliminary game, resigning the Blue Bulls to yesterday’s third place playoff. 

In conditions even worse than the opening day - so bad that some of the second tier, Richardson Shield games were forced to play uncontested scrums - the Blue Bulls went down 22-19 to Central Coast, with the latter kicking a penalty goal in the dying stages to seal the win.

“We opened the scoring against Central Coast, then they hit back with two converted tries,” Gray said.

“We scored a couple, and it was 19-14, then they scored to make it 19-all and kicked the penalty goal. Both of our games were real arm wrestles, and we had a few injuries hit us hard in the second game.

“Dan Ryan had to come off after about 30 minutes with an ankle problem, and Josh Tremain dislocated his shoulder, which knocked our lineout around.”

Despite the disappointment of two losses, Gray said there is set to be some joy to come from Central West’s campaign, with a number of Blue Bulls in line for NSW Country Cockatoos jerseys.

Fullback Joe Lasagavibau, prop George Quigley and centre Mesui Lemoto all expected to be named, while Ryan - a Cockatoo incumbent - was also in the mix.