Nyngan Tigers president Glen Neill has fears his club could fold if it's not included in any new senior rugby league competition in the western area.
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The NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) board will meet on Wednesday and proposed changes to the structure of competition in the Western Rams region will be on the agenda.
No change to any structure for 2021 or beyond has been confirmed but NSWRL's manager for Western, Peter Clarke, attended Nyngan's annual general meeting last Wednesday where Neill and the Tigers were told they may not feature in a new-look competition.
"That's what the proposal will be, based on what Clarkey said," Neill said.
"I think all they're doing is destroying western NSW football when they're supposed to be promoting it.
"I could understand if our club was not performing or doing something wrong but I think we're the total opposite. It's almost like they've just picked a spot on the map.
"I can't come up with any reason."
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Change to competition structure has been a hot topic since the release of the One State NSWRL Strategic Plan, which featured among its objectives a plan to restructure the state into six zones which preserve historical structures but create more efficient competition possibilities.
Proposals for a new competition in the western area have been devised since but the lack of communication in relation to any of the planning is the most disappointing factor for Neill and others involved in the sport.
Representatives from a number of clubs in both Group 11 and Group 10 are unsure of what next season will look like but all are eager to find out as soon as possible given planning with new players and sponsors is already beginning.
Narromine Jets president Mick Burns is one of those looking for a concrete answer.
The Jets are one of the smallest clubs in Group 11 who have battled for success across all grades in recent times and, if some rumoured competition plans are to be believed, won't be a part of a western-wide league.
But nothing has changed for the Jets currently, with Burns and the board working hard to improve the playing roster ahead of next year.
"We haven't been told anything," Burns said.
"I'd like to know what's going on and I think it would be pretty piss-poor if they haven't got back to us about it.
"Narromine is definitely looking to go ahead in Group 11 and continue on in there.
"There's a great tradition in that competition and while we haven't been as successful as we'd like to be the past 10 years we're still pumping out the teams and doing our best."
Neill said his club has been told the neighbouring Castlereagh League would be the only other option.
I would be sincerely disappointed if Nyngan was not to play next year.
- Group 11 secretary Paul Loxley
That has raised plenty of concerns as there is no reserve grade competition in that league while matches are also played on Saturday, when so many senior Nyngan players and volunteers are involved with Tigers junior teams in the Dubbo District Junior Rugby League competition.
"We have one of the strongest junior leagues so how would it work when the same people support both clubs? It's going to kill one or the other and I think it could be the senior league," Neill said.
"To be honest, and I've not spoken to everyone, but the majority of who I have spoken to said this seems the only option and it's not an option. We could probably finish up. But that's not everyone.
"We've spent years going forward and now we're being sent backwards and there's no logical reason behind it."
Clarke offered no comment on Tuesday as it would be premature to speak on the matter before the NSWRL board has met and looked at proposed changes.
And while there's uncertainty and fear at Nyngan, they have one major supporter in Group 11 secretary Paul Loxley.
Like so many others, Loxley said he is unaware what's in store for the game until the NSWRL board meets, but he said he wouldn't support any proposal which didn't give Nyngan the chance to play at the highest level.
"Nyngan is the only team I ever played for and I know they've put a lot of money and a lot of time into maintaining four teams and I would be sincerely disappointed if Nyngan was not to play next year," he said.
"I think if any Group 11 club wanted to play in a western or premier league and can still field four teams then they should be able to do that.
"I think this would be good for league but it would be so disappointing if Nyngan couldn't participate.
"It's all about participation and you can't say no to a club if it's all about participation. It's ludicrous."
Both Loxley and Neill rejected the idea it would be too hard to include Nyngan because of the distances it would force the Tigers and other clubs in the region to travel.
Both pointed to the fact it would only be once or twice a season, or once every two years according to some rumoured proposals, a club based further west would have to travel to a centre like Bathurst or Lithgow and vice-versa.
For now, it's a waiting game for Neill and everyone else involved in Group 11 and Group 10.
"We only found out about this a few days before our AGM so obviously it had been talked about before then," Neill added.
"I've been scratching my head ever since about what we do.
"If NSWRL thinks this is the way forward then I think they've lost the plot."