TAREE Wildcats football co-coach and club president Ben Sedlen admits to having some reservations about two new clubs joining the Coastal Premier League next year.
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This will bring the number of clubs in the competition to 12. The Wildcats are currently the most southern club in the CPL.
It is expected a nomination from a club from the Forster-Tuncurry area would be welcomed by the boards of Football Mid North Coast and North Coast Football, the competition's ruling body. (See story page 22).
The plan is for the new clubs to come from both zones, to ensure there's a six/six split in the league.
Sedlen agreed that a team from the Great Lakes would give the Wildcats an away game closer to home. The other Football Mid North Coast clubs in the CPL are from Port Macquarie and Kempsey.
However, Sedlen said the addition of two more clubs is going to make a long season.
"The season will run for about six months and that's a big commitment,'' he said.
"I don't know how that compares with other winter sports but it is a long time.''
Under the current 10 club format the Coastal Premier League is conducted over 18 rounds.
This season's competition started in April and the last round is set for Saturday, August 14 before the start of the semi-finals. Sedlen said another trip to the Coffs Harbour area, where, presumably, the North Coast team would come from, is another concern.
North Coast Football takes in clubs up to the Grafton area. However, Football Mid North Coast chairman Mike Parsons said there's no interest from clubs in the Clarence area in playing in the Coastal Premier League.
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"They've said previously they weren't interested because of the travel involved,'' Mr Parsons said.
Mr Parsons further understands there has been an expression of interest from the Bellingen club to play in the CPL.
Sedlen is confident the Wildcats are on track to eventually field a side that can match the stronger teams in the CPL. This is despite the club's lack of success this year, where Taree has only won one match and sits in last place on the ladder.
Sedlen has previously said that he believes clubs should aim to play in the strongest level of competition.
However, he agreed there's no shortage of options for players to get a game in the Manning area, with five clubs from here involved in the Southern League men's competition. This takes in 11 clubs from the Manning and Great Lakes.
Taree doesn't field a team in the Southern League.
"That competition will always be attractive for players who don't want to travel too far,'' he said.
