Taree was the venue for the tournament in 2018 and 2019 and had been granted the event for this year. However, the poor condition of fields at the recreation centre caused by the drought saw the championships - held last Sunday - shifted to Tuncurry.

Taree Touch raised concerns with Northern Eagles late last year about the standard of the fields. The decision to relocate to Tuncurry was made by Northern Eagles in December after consultation with Forster-Tuncurry Touch.

"We'd love to have the championships back here next year,'' Taree Touch president Graham Goodwin said.

"But it's going to depend on how our fields are.''

Mr Goodwin said the fields at Tuncurry were 'superb.'

"They're able to use recycled water for irrigation. That's a legacy of the previous Great Lakes Shire Council and it's made a huge difference,'' he said.

The fields were flooded by heavy rain last Friday.

"But an hour after the rain stopped they were right again,'' Mr Goodwin said.

Forty two sides from Ballina to Forster-Tuncurry contested the junior championships in 10 divisions, down on the number expected to take part at Taree.

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Mr Goodwin said there was again a poor response from the Ballina and Lismore associations.

"There was one team from Ballina there and none from Lismore,'' he said.

Northern Eagles executives also made the decision to cut the championship back from two days to one, with the event going ahead on Sunday. Despite some rain, the day ran to program.

Taree will now send teams to the Hunter junior championships at Nelson Bay on Saturday and Sunday, February 1 and 2. This will be the final preparation for the State Junior Cup to be played at Port Macquarie from February 14 to 16.

Meanwhile the Taree senior competition will resume on Monday, February 3.

"That's what we're planning and I haven't seen any correspondence from council saying the grounds are closed,'' Mr Goodwin said.