Coffs Coast Advocate

THURSDAY'S Advocate sports story reporting discontent in junior rugby league circles about young players being left off the program for February's NRL trial certainly put the cat among the Rabbitohs.

It also unveiled apparent confusion about who is organising the curtain-raisers before the big match between South Sydney and Penrith.

Souths were upset that the story indicated they may have been involved in the snub of the juniors.

Club CEO Shane Richardson sent us a letter stating his case, that said in part: “The events surrounding the trial match are being planned and organised by Coffs Harbour City Council.”

At Thursday's council meeting, mayor Keith Rhoades indicated the council wasn't involved and that it was a Group 2 issue.

When told of this, Group 2 chief administrator Jim Anderson said: “We're not putting it on, no way . . . this is a council gig, it's not a Group 2 fixture.”

Hopefully between now and match day on February 14 someone will take charge of the planning - and maybe even find a space in the program to showcase junior rugby league, the sport's life blood.