Rosebud Plan Quick Return To Top Grade

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday August 22, 2007

Renee Valentine

CONSOLIDATION is the key word for Adamstown as they come to terms with life in the Northern NSW first division.

Adamstown will be relegated to the region's second-tier competition next year after finishing last in the NNSW State League.

It is the first time Rosebud have been relegated.

Such a disappointment can break a club.

But president Ken Hodgins is busy working with the Adamstown board to ensure the longest-running club in Australia does not spend long in the lower division.

"Bob Mountford has indicated he wants to stay on as coach, and we are trying to hold on to as many players as we can," Hodgins said.

"Obviously a few clubs have been chasing some of them, but we're hoping we can keep them and consolidate ourself next year in the other division and just see what happens from there.

"From the sound of it, 2009 is going to be a whole new ball game in terms of the state league with all clubs having to reapply to play in it."

The state league will be revamped for 2009, but little has been revealed regarding how many teams or which clubs will make up the top flight.

"No one is guaranteed a spot for 2009, and they will look at a lot of issues for resubmission, starting from ground, seating, finances, playing strengths and geography," Hodgins said.

"We feel strongly we would meet criteria, which is why we would like to stay competitive next year. We just have to hang in there.

"Our infrastructure is there the only thing which let us down this year is we finished last in first grade."

Adamstown won just two games in first grade, but they finished fifth in reserve grade, missing the top four by just one point, and their youth team finished third.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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