Coffs Harbours classy former NSW Country representative centre, Kevin Simpson, has stunned rugby union circles by announcing an immediate retirement from the game after taking ill following the Crushers 31-5 defeat of Port Pirates on Saturday.
Simpson was named player of the match following a superb midfield defensive display against last years Upper Mid North Coast premiers only to require hospitalisation upon returning to his home.
MNC executive officer, Desmond Hoy, praised Simpson, declaring: Kevvy was an ornament to the game. He will be a major loss to rugby. His retirement comes as a shock to everyone.
Simpson was to play for Upper MNC against Lower MNC for the Abigroup Cup on Saturday at Tuncurrys Harry Elliott Oval in the Great Lakes. Another withdrawal from the team is robust prop, Nick Joyce, who has sustained a shoulder injury.
Coffs Harbour Breakers young hooker, Tim Metcher, who appears destined for an exciting career in rugby, celebrated his inclusion in the Upper MNC team with a three-try haul against Kempsey on Saturday.
Just 17 years of age and 110kgs, Metcher has committed himself to joining Randwick club in Sydney next year, but prudently decided not to rush his fences and remained in Coffs Harbour this season.
The Upper MNC will field a significantly strong side on Saturday, but one selection which caused bewilderment was that of the MNC zones arch-critic, Brett Gilbert, who made himself available and was chosen at half-back at the age of 43.
Gilbert, the premiership-winning coach of Port Pirates in 2007-08, returned to playing action with Pirates this season and was preferred to the talented NSW Country Under-19 half, Mitch Walton, by coach Stewart Robinson.
Minutes after the Pirates splendidly absorbing 18-14 defeat of Coffs Harbour for the Barry Stent Challenge Shield last year, Gilbert launched a scathing attack on the MNC executive, alleging bias in Coffs Harbours favour.
Gilbert vowed he would continue advising Pirates players against representing the MNC Axemen at the NSW Country championships. He was informed by this writer, a MNC director, that there was not a shred of evidence to suggest Coffs Harbour received favourable treatment.
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Now, he has been included in a combined team chosen from Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey and Bowraville, bidding for Axemen honours to play Far North Coast for the Observer Trophy in Grafton on June 6.
Gilberts selection prompted several players to consider leaving the team but sanity prevailed and as a result Paul Butcher will lead a formidable side.
In fact, the intra-zone trial appears to have had a most unifying effect. Skipper Butcher claims the side is the strongest assembled in the region for some time, declaring: Co-operation between the clubs up here, I believe, is as good as it ever has been.
When one glances through the two trial teams, it is impossible reconciling the MNC as wooden-spooners of the Richardson Shield competition for three successive seasons, leaving the Axemen effectively on the bottom rung of NSW Country rugby.
Once again, it is a total frustration why other zones prefer the Country championships as a pre-season competition when MNC players, among many others, are participating in cricket, life saving and other mid-summer activities.
The MNC has sought to have the championships moved to the end of season without support from other zones.
How strong a side could the Axemen have fielded merely from last years Upper MNC grand final with players available such as Ports man-of-the-match Willie Kuki, five-eighth Matt Maney, utility Tom Valentine even retiring lock Peter Besseling though he may have had more pressing matters on his mind.
Following Saturdays trial, former Wallabies backrower Steve Lidbury and ex-NSW Waratahs winger, Bruce Frame, recently appointed MNC development officer, will select a 22-man MNC team to play FNC for the Observer Trophy. MNC and MNC Colts players will be presented with jumpers at a dinner function at Club Forster on Saturday evening.
