The Peter McDonald Premiership is set to undergo a major shake-up in 2024.
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The current format featuring separate pools for Group 11 and Group 10 sides is expected to be scrapped in favour of a combined 12-club competition.
In a proposal to be put forward at the two Group annual general meetings on Sunday, all four grades in 2024 will feature 14-round regular seasons before the top eight move through to finals.
In those 14 rounds, each of the 12 sides will play each other once while there will be a second local derby fixture and then two extra games against sides which finished in the same quarter the previous season.
For example, premiers Dubbo CYMS, grand finalists Mudgee and the Parkes Spacemen finished in the top quarter this season so will all play each other twice in 2025. The same goes for the sides which finished four-six, seven-nine, and 10-12.
Both and Cowra and Blayney, who didn't field first grade sides this year, would not be part of the competition and both have indicated a move to the Woodbridge Cup is likely.
NSW Rugby League was asked for comment on the changes but were unable to do some by the time of publication due to "many of the senior NSWRL competition people" not in the office on November 7 and "the complexity" of questions posed.
However, a day later they did indeed respond.
"Both the Group 10 and Group 11 Annual General Meetings will be staged this weekend. The primary purpose is for member clubs to elect directors and relevant delegates," a NSWRL spokesperson said on November 8.
"In the general meetings following the Group 10 and 11 Annual General Meetings, clubs and affiliates of respective Groups will be briefed on various operational procedures including draw concepts for the 2024 Western Premiership (all four grades).
"The changes are in response to a survey circulated by both Groups at the conclusion of the season in which a majority of clubs indicated that they wanted the 2024 structure to change from the conference system (2022 and 2023) to a draw where they play each other once.
"The expected move to an all-in competition comes after some criticism from clubs in the first two years of the PMP."
The crossover matches played during the regular season were often a point of contention. Only four were played a season, meaning some sides were often seen to have an easier draw than others.
This year, grand finalists Dubbo CYMS and Mudgee played two of the sides which missed out on finals in their respective crossover matches while Lithgow met Group 11 top three Dubbo CYMS, Parkes and Wellington in its matches.
The finals format would be the same as the NRL. The top four would play each other in qualifying finals and the bottom four would meet in elimination matches in week one.
Semi-finals, preliminary finals and then the grand final would follow.
The format won't be the only topic on the agenda at the AGMs this weekend.
Representative footy will again be discussed, with the annual Group 11-Group 10 fixtures set to be moved forward to February to act as a genuine selection trial for the Western Rams.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
