'Lack of quality players': What can be done about the state of Dubbo cricket?

It was confirmed earlier this month the Rugby club plans to withdraw its first grade side from the RSL Whitney Cup, a move which would leave the region's premier competition with just five teams.

In a letter to the DDCA on behalf of the club, Rugby honorary secretary Cameron Herd wrote it was their view "Dubbo no longer can support six first grade teams due to the lack of quality players available".

"The disparity between the best, and the players who "fill a gap", is bigger than it has ever been, which makes for a less enjoyable game for all concerned," the letter read.

"It also has flow-on effects for lower grades who lose players up the grades to fill a spot.

"We believe this is the case for a number of clubs and not just part of the natural ebb-and-flow cycle whereby different clubs are stronger than others through the years."

DDCA president Ben Strachan said Rugby's situation was definitely concerning.

"We've had six first grade clubs for so many years and I can't put an exact figure on how many years but Rugby has been an epitome of Dubbo cricket for a long time," he said.

"The club is around 50 years old so it's a bit of a concern, but we're just not getting the cricketers coming to Dubbo that we used to."

Rugby finished fourth out of the six teams last season - one spot outside the finals - and last won a first grade premiership in 2017/18.

Strachan said the drop in player quality and numbers was something which affected more than just cricket.

Having been a part of powerhouse Narromine rugby union sides in the past, Strachan has seen that club drop from the premier Blowes Clothing Cup to the second-tier New Holland Cup in recent years.

"That rugby competition has changed dramatically in the last 10 years," Strachan said.

"The rugby competition out here used to be extremely strong and the cricket was as well. It's all a little bit different now."

One of the factors remains the impact of COVID-19.

While we are now a number of years on from the pandemic and lockdowns, it has left its mark.

"We had a meeting in New South Wales cricket the other day and it's not just Dubbo, it's New South Wales and cricket as a whole," Strachan said.

"There's not as many cricketers around ... we got into the conversation and COVID is a big factor."

The theory is lockdown took away people's weekends and leisure time, and when that returned not everyone was as keen to spend an entire day or two playing cricket.

"Cricket isn't like tennis or something else where you just go and play for an hour or so and then you're done for the day," Strachan said.

"We start at 1pm and are not finished until seven or eight some nights so it's a big chunk out of your day.

"And there's so much happening now. People enjoy their freedom and like doing other things and that''s disappointing (for cricket).

"I agree with what a lot of people are saying and it's not just Dubbo that's having this with cricket, it's NSW and that's why we had the meeting with Cricket NSW.

"We put our heads together to ask what we can do to try and bring adults and kids back into the sport."

Junior cricket was another issue raised in Rugby's letter to the DDCA, with the club stating there has been a "massive decline" in numbers.

"The DDCA rules were written many years ago to include a requirement for clubs in the senior competition to foster junior cricket, with the obvious point that it provides the players of the future," it read.

"Requirements for this to occur have been removed in recent years, and whilst not the only reason for the reduction in junior players, it certainly has contributed, as senior clubs and players no longer have any responsibility for junior cricket player numbers.

"Whilst DRCC is raising this issue in a proactive way, it is clear most clubs will be in a similar situation in the near future."

Not one of the six RSL Whitney Cup clubs featured a team in every grade of the juniors in 2023/24.

In terms of the 2024/25 first grade season, a decision on Rugby's status is expected in the coming weeks.

Rugby is looking at just fielding second and third grade numbers as it says numbers aren't the issue, it's more the quality of the players.

The DDCA has floated the option of a first grade merge with Narromine - which currently only fields second and third grade seasons - to provide a growth opportunity for both clubs.

"We don't want Rugby to lose a first grade team," Strachan said.

"Once you lose a first grade team, it's really hard to get it back. Once a club loses any side it's hard to get back.

A combined first grade side would have a new team name as both clubs would remain separate in the lower grades.

The hope would be both clubs would have a presence in the top grade and work towards each fielding their own RSL Whitney Cup teams in the coming seasons, which would take the competition to seven sides.