The Maitland Pickers are disappointed that their requests for their President's Cup semi-final against Forbes Magpies at Parkes to be put back to Sunday have been ignored by the NSW RL.
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The Pickers qualified for the game after beating Macquarie 40-4 in Sunday's Newcastle RL grand final, but have only six days to recover from celebrations and prepare for the game.
Pickers coach Matt Lantry said the timing meant many of the players had to forego a day's work because it was a six-hour journey by bus and the team would need to leave on Friday afternoon to be any state to play.
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Lantry said the Pickers had already been hampered in their preparations by the Newcastle RL putting back the grand final a week, while Peter McDonald Premiership (formerly Group 11) champions Forbes had played, won and celebrated their grand final two weeks ago.
"Most of our boys had already taken off Monday and Tuesday from work and a few will struggle to get that extra day off on Friday," he said.
"We asked for the game to either be transferred to Dubbo which is a three-hour drive or be put back to Sunday.
"Even holding it at Forbes which is four hours by car or five by bus which we could have managed on the morning would be better.
"We will be a team together for the match, but I think the NSW RL forgets that the players are not full-time professionals and have to work a day job."
If the Pickers win they will play the winner of the other semi-final between Hills District Bulls and Illawarra club Collegians at Commbank Stadium on September 25.
