That's among the questions seven of the original 10 clubs involved in the CPL are asking. The seven, including Taree Wildcats, authorised a lengthy news release last week opposing the decision to add two new clubs, Southern United, a new entity formed at Forster-Tuncurry along with North Coast club, Bellingen, into the 2022 premiership.

The Coastal Premier League is run by Football Mid North Coast and Coffs Harbour-based North Coast Football. Both zones will now supply six clubs into the CPL.

However, seven of the clubs are disgruntled, claiming the decision contravenes the three year licences they were awarded when the CPL kicked off, while they also say there was a lack of consultation. There is also concern at the length of the season and the extra travel involved for a competition that will take in clubs from Forster-Tuncurry to Coffs Harbour.

Taree Wildcats president Ben Sedlen this week pointed out at the pandemic and wet weather impacted heavily on the opening two seasons of the CPL.

No semi-finals were played in either year and the competition-proper wasn't completed. Some clubs are still finding their way in the league. Clubs say no new clubs should be admitted until the licences are up for renewal after the 2023 season. They may have a point.

High ranking Football Mid North Coast officials including general manager Bruce Potter and chairman Mike Parsons say they've yet to see anything official from the clubs, other that what has appeared on social media.

Southern United is an amalgam of the Great Lakes and Tuncurry Forster Tigers clubs. It would be imaged that United, or the Ospreys as they will be known, would field a formidable team if they are able to tap into the rich vein of footballing talent in the Great Lakes area.

Mr Potter remains optimistic that the matter will be settled well before the start of next season. It would appear there's little more the clubs can do to further protest the decision, other than an unlikely boycott the 2022 competition.

The fact that the Coastal Premier League on Tuesday issued a release confirming that Southern United and Bellingen would be starters in 2022 indicated they're steady in their resolve.

Mick McDonald, senior journalist, Manning River Times

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