Save the Rhinos

Rhinos' vice-president Patrick Swift, South Grafton Rebels life member Barbara Armstrong and Rhinos' president Tony Stackhouse at last night's meeting.

Patrick Allen

CLARENCE Valley locals will get one more bite at the cherry next week if they want to save the Grafton Rhinos rugby league club.

A second Annual General Meeting will be held at 7pm at the South Grafton Ex-Services Club next Monday to give interested parties the chance to nominate for executive positions on the Rhinos committee.

"All positions will be declared vacant and hopefully we can come out of the meeting with our club in tact and ready for the 2012 season," Rhinos current president Tony Stackhouse said.

Last night's "special meeting" with Country Rugby League representative Kevin Hill and NRRRL president Brian Rix failed to garner the immediate support of members willing to take over the executive positions at the club.

But the major parties remain hopeful that next week's AGM will sort out the club's 2012 future once and for all.

"Our primary concern is to get the executive positions at the club filled before we worry about how many sponsors and players have signed," Hill said.

"We must have that new leadership group at the Rhinos or you won't have a club."

Stackhouse is prepared to step aside from the committee if that is what is required, but is happy to continue helping the Rhinos into season 2012 and beyond.

"I'm more than happy to step aside if that is what is required for the club to survive," Stackhouse said.

"If I'm not the person to run the club, then so be it."

Vice-president Patrick Swift will definitely not be taking on an executive role at the club this year, however, citing overwork and the desire to spend more time with his family.

"I'll still be involved in supporting the club in one way or another, but this job has become too much for me and Tony to do ourselves.

"We desperately need the support of a secretary and treasurer to help the president and vice-president to continue."

The idea of re-forming the historic South Grafton Rebels club was also floated but, given the late notice, cannot eventuate until at least 2013.

"If the club needs to re-think our position and go back to being called the Rebels, then maybe that is something to be looked at," Stackhouse said.

First-grade player signings are currently looking dire, but reserve grade and under-18s squads are firing according to the lower grade coaches.

It will be business as usual as far as players are concerned until further notice.

In more positive news for the South Grafton rugby league community, the Rebels junior side now has a full commitee and will be as strong as ever in 2012.