For their final home game of the season, the Roosters partnered with a number of organisations to deliver drought support and assistance to their community. The day included free entry to the game, a barbecue, children’s activities and live music that continued late into the night. 

The day raised awareness of mental health and wellbeing and the support services available to the community. 

It provided a chance for people to get out, socialise and have a good time.

“It was the biggest crowd we’ve seen at Ashford for a competition game since we’ve been back in the competition,” Lewis said.

“There were people there who we haven’t seen at a football match previously, so obviously the promotion for drought relief was very effective and it was a great day.”

Lewis said it was an event that fitted in very well with the ethos of the Ashford club.

“Our club was always formed with the community benefits being one of the main considerations,” he said.

While Lewis said he is confident Ashford will be in next year’s competition, he said some changes to Group 19 were on the drawing board to help some of the smaller towns get their rugby league teams back.

“They’re looking at the possibility of restructuring the group. It’s probably too early to say what exactly is going to happen, but there is a general feeling that something needs to be done for the smaller towns,” Lewis said.

He said smaller places like Ashford, Tingha and Uralla that are currently in the competition, and places like Warialda, Bingara and Guyra that are currently out of the competition, but would like to re-enter it, need to have a pathway to be able to do so.

“I think that is one of the responsibilities of the group, to encourage as many teams as possible back in. We need to come up with a concept that’s going to work with that,” Lewis said.

“Obviously Group 4 has a limited number of first grade sides in their competition, so there will be discussions with them about combining the two groups in some way.

“It’s only early days, but we think that might give those smaller towns an avenue where they might come back in and be in a competition where they feel more comfortable.”

Lewis said the bigger towns had the capacity to attract players to their clubs with financial inducements, while smaller clubs did not have the money to do so. 

But he considered that did not mean clubs in the smaller communities had nothing to offer. 

“A little place Ashford’s size doesn’t have a lot of social life, particularly for young people, and football has brought that back to the town and has been very successful in doing that,” he said.