The ARL Masters for players aged 35 and over began in 2007 with some 32 teams and over 400 competitors. Now entering its fourth carnival, the competition has doubled in size and no less than 60 teams from all over Australia and New Zealand will compete between March 10 and 14.

The Masters rules state a squad should be made up of 17 players and three staff. Initially Singleton had 17 staff and three players. Eventually balance to the playing roster was restored by calling on a few of the local over 30s touch sides, coaching staff of the Singleton Junior Rugby League and even a few ex-Muswellbrook Rams.

With half of the players weighing in over the problematic 100kg mark at the first training session in November, there was only one solution. Singleton’s answer to renown NRL fitness guru Billy Johnstone, the one and only Shayne (Gary the Greyhound) Brumby was hired to whip the team into shape. Local pharmacies are also doing a roaring trade in ‘dencorub’ and ‘pain away’ ointments while bags of ice usually reserved for eskies at this time of year have been nursing many bumps, corks and bruises as the intensity builds.

A dozen training sessions or so ploughing through the pasture at Alan Bull Reserve has clearly rekindled the fire in the bellies of the players and despite the odd trickle of blood, lots of sweat and hold the tears, the Singleton team is close to ready. The reward being a few less spare tyres and a few less chins on those 100kg Singleton players.

The team will be coached by former NSW U/19, Manly and Singleton player and now local entrepreneur Grant Tanks.

The squad includes players who have had tremendous careers in their own right who will have sore shoulders carrying the rest of the team a long way during the arduous five game - three day schedule.