AFTER weeks of forfeits in both senior men's grades, the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs are in the process of submitting a proposal to Group Seven Rugby League to drop their first grade side for the 2019 season.
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Milton must submit their proposal to Group Seven operations manager Peter Mehl by Wednesday next week.
"I can confirm that they [Milton-Ulladulla] need to get a report in by Wednesday, and then the board will make a decision [about the future of Milton's first grade side]," Peter Mehl said.
"Until I've seen the report, I can't say much about it."
The South Coast Register has been following this situation closely for a number of months, which came to a head when first grade coach Brenden Fernley decided to step down in May.
Since then, senior players of the club such ad Tyler Clark, Todd and Trent Ryan, Wade Walker, Lepani Walker and Jayde Tooth, as well as young gun Oscar Fitzpatrick have left the kennel - as well as under 18s coach Scott D'Ombrain, who was controversially let go by the club last month.
These exits follow a long line of high profile people, such as Cheyanne and David Hatch, Ebony Murray, Steine Lofts and new recruit PJ Thornton, to have left the once proud Bulldogs club - not to mention former club president Mick Hampson one month before the 2019 season kicked-off.
Despite all this, Bulldogs secretary Sharon Dowton is adamant first grade team's undoing has had nothing to do with their committee or the club's finances but rather players being unavailable - explained in a statement released by Group Seven.
"It's not a committee decision to not play first grade and it's not financial - it's player injuries, players moving, and also work commitments," Dowton said in release published by Group Seven.
When asked what the future held for the Bulldogs first grade team, Dowton said she was unsure.
"At the present moment, I'm unsure what the future holds," she told Group Seven.
"We don't have sufficient numbers to field a [first grade] team at the moment."
With players leaving and heading to rival clubs, there are just a handful of players willing to hang around despite the struggles Milton currently face explained Dowton.
"It's a bit about loyalty - the boys that are here now, are here for the long haul," she said.
Although the Bulldogs committee face a tough task ahead in relation to their first grade side, Dowton can see the light at the end of the tunnel and says that Milton's other senior teams are doing well.
"Our women's league tag side knew they had to rebuild," she said in the release.
"They've only won one game so far but are happy with where they are at - as are our under 18s."