FOR five months the people of Dubbo have been going cap in hand throughout their community to raise $165,000 as they chased a dream of hosting a match between Manly and Canberra in April.

But on Monday that dream was shattered — and they didn’t even get the courtesy of a phone call to break the bad news.

Incredibly, it was left to The Daily Telegraph to notify Group 11 secretary Ross McDermott that the match set down for April 5 was now likely to be played in Gosford.

Told of the outcome, McDermott was almost in disbelief.

“I’m shattered, mate,” he said.

media_camera Country's Robbie Rochow makes a break during the City vs. Dubbo at Caltex Oval in Dubbo. Picture Gregg Porteous

“It is very frustrating because the bush has played a big part in the development of rugby league.

“But since the Commission has come in we haven’t had much support for the grass root areas.

“Talk is very cheap.”

The Daily Telegraph was made aware of Dubbo’s push to host an NRL game on Monday morning and at that point McDermott said he was still hopeful that the game would be held in his home town.

McDermott revealed how former Manly chief executive Dave Perry initially told him last August that he needed to raise $175,000 to make the game happen.

But despite falling $10,000 short of that full amount, McDermott said he was hoping the NRL would pitch in the difference.

While the Sea Eagles no longer employ Perry, McDermott said a group from Group 11 had also met with new Manly boss Joe Kelly only a couple of weeks ago and went home thinking the game could still happen.

“I actually spoke to Dave Smith in November at the Country Rugby League meeting and he said ‘we need to go out to the bush more’,” McDermott added.

“I actually fronted him.

“He said that the NRL need to do some support or backing.

“And I was talking to Joe two weeks ago and he said; ‘leave it with me, I will get onto the NRL and see what can happen’.

“So he was going to talk to the NRL.”

But while McDermott was left waiting for an answer, after one phone call on Monday from The Daily Telegraph, we were told “the people of Dubbo are going to be disappointed”.

McDermott said the match would have put about $70,000 into grassroots rugby league to be distributed to nine clubs in towns like Cobar and Parkes.

He said he was born and bred in the area and the game has never been in a worse state.

“It’s not dying but it is struggling,” he said.

“It is on the decline.

“We are doing a lot of work in the juniors to get them back and the junior rugby league is starting to pick up.

media_camera Manly CEO Joe Kelly says no decision has been made about where the game will be played. Picture: Bradley Hunter

“But at senior levels the numbers are diminishing and we need that support.”

The Daily Telegraph contacted Kelly but was told through the club’s media department that Dubbo was no longer on their schedule.

On Monday night, Kelly then issued a statement saying the club had yet to make a decision on the fixture.

“The club has been in contact with several communities and stadiums over the past few months regarding playing one of our two designated home games at their venues. We are in the final stages of this process now and should be in a position to announce something in the next fortnight,” Kelly said.

McDermott responded: “I know (NRL bosses) have very political positions but their responses, there is no substance to it.

“They talk the right talk and don’t deliver on the end result.

“I don’t think it was a big ask what we were after.

“They keep saying support the bush but what support are we getting, you have to ask that question.

“But we have to keep hope. We won’t give up but it is disappointing.”

NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said on Monday he wasn’t aware Manly had made the decision to rule out Dubbo.

“I know the game in the schedule has a TBC on it,” Greenberg said. “We are always super keen to see clubs take games to the bush. We think it is fantastic.

“We have a couple of clubs doing it this year but I wasn’t aware Manly had made a decision.”