By Lawrence Machado
The rugby league season of the Hills District Bulls’, which promised so much following one of their best-ever streaks, has come to an end with the Ron Massey Cup being abandoned due to the Covid lockdowns.
The Bulls were lying second and had their finals berth sealed when the NSW Rugby League announced the end of the season on August 16. Bulls coach Mick Withers said it was a bitter pill to swallow but he could understand the reasons behind the cancellation after round 15.
“We felt gutted because we were looking forward to the finals, but it is what it is,” Withers said. “The pandemic was much worse than anyone thought.
“The league tried to hang on but if they wanted to restart the competition, the teams had to be back in training for at least two to three weeks, which would have stretched the season to October. We last played on June 20th (when they beat Mounties 12-8) and we were in a good place because things were falling in place for us.”
Withers, a former Irish international, said they had between 50-60 players in training for the Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield squads. “I am in touch with the players, and we have to move on,” he said. 
picture: rob gleeson photography
St Mary’s were the long-time leaders in the competition.
