FOOTBALL Mid North Coast's board has decided that teams challenging for a berth in the premier league will have to beat the incumbent side in regulation time in a promotion/relegation game.
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If it's a draw, the incumbent side will stay in the competition. There'll be no extra time or penalty shoot out.
This decision was made at a think tank held recently in Taree.
The match will also be played as soon as possible following the conclusion of the premier league season.
The timing of the promotion/relegation game has been a source of controversy in the competition since the concept was introduced. It was previously played on premier league grand final day - almost a month after the incumbent team had finished commitments for the season. Challenging sides were usually involved in either the southern or northern competition open age semi-finals and were match hardened going into the game. No incumbent club ever won one of the matches that were instigated in 2011.
"The club challenging will have to beat the incumbent side to earn the right to play in the premier league,'' Football Mid North Coast chairman Mike Parsons said.
He agreed that in the past the incumbent side had been disadvantaged going into the match. Mr Parsons said if possible the game will be played at the incumbent club's home ground.
"But it may be that the match is played mid-week at night, so we would need a ground with adequate lighting,'' Mr Parsons added.
Clubs seeking a place in the league will also have to pass strict criteria laid down by the board.
"The board is determined to keep the integrity of our premier league,'' Mr Parsons said.
He added that if more than one club seeks a place in the premier league next year there will be a playoff for the position.
It is not known if Old Bar will attempt to return to the competition in 2017. The Barbarians are playing the one-grade southern all age competition this year.
Mr Parsons said the board has also deemed 10 to be the maximum number of sides in the competition.
Nine are involved this year after Old Bar withdrew in January.
However, Mr Parsons is confident there'll be a 10th club playing in 2017.
"With current population in our area the board believes 10 is the right mix of clubs,'' Mr Parsons said.
"If our player numbers increase we can re-visit this in the future, but at the moment we're happy to go with 10.''
