A devastated Ian Burns has been unable to confirm if his Dubbo Rhinos club will be able to finish the Blowes Clothing Cup season after men in black and gold forfeited every grade to the Cowra Eagles on Saturday.
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The club president made the revelation following the Rhinos decision to forfeit after just 13 players across first grade, second grade and colts attended training on Thursday night.
It marks a low point for the club, which has never forfeited all grades in one weekend in its 25-year history.
In a truly worrying sign Burns couldn’t state if it won’t happen again in the final weeks of the regular season.
“We just don’t have the first grade footballers,” Burns said.
“We lost two back to New Zealand and we’ve had three players suffer broken jaws and then two suspensions, so it just goes on and on.
“We’ve got the ’Roos in the derby next weekend and we will get a few back for that. Javarn [Nofoagotoa] is back, Dan Neill should be and James Vaughan too so I think we should have the players.
“But as for after that, I can’t answer that, I really can’t.”
The Rhinos did all they could to play Cowra, with Burns and fellow veteran Bruno Efoti even considering lining up. However, the idea of a centres pairing with a combined age of 97 was “ludicrous”.
Bulldogs are scheduled to play Rhinos on August 5.