Northern NSW premier competition clubs have largely filled the void left by the departure of the Newcastle Jets academy from the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility (LMRFF).
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The Jets announced last month a partnership with Hunter Sports High School to operate the club's academy program.
It what would be a major cost-saving move for the Jets, their academy teams will now be based at the redeveloped Gateshead school and will no longer train on the synthetic pitches of LMRFF at Speers Point.
In response, Northern NSW Football has invited clubs from the NPL, men's second division and the Herald Women's Premier League to train on its all-weather fields.
NNSWF offered clubs a proposed 39-week package, taking in a six-week block before Christmas, of one or two one-hour sessions a week costing $120 an hour.
NNSWF chief David Eland said it was "the exact rate that was applied to the Jets" and the response from clubs "has been excellent".
"We invited the clubs to use the facility, not only for NPL training, but for the premier clubs' SAP [Skill Acquisition Program]," Eland said.
"We're just in the middle of finalising all that. We met yesterday to go through all expressions of interest."
Eland said there were still opportunities available to use the fields, especially on Mondays and Fridays, and the incorporation of the six-week block before Christmas was under review.
Despite the strong response from clubs, revenue from use of the pitches, which helps cover substantial maintenance costs, will be down given the Jets trained at the facility 48 weeks of the year.
Eland believed the change would be a positive for premier competition clubs and their youth development.
"One of the best things we've been able to do as a result of the Jets' relationship with Hunter Sports High School is that all of the premier clubs' SAPs are going to be allocated time out here this year," he said.
"Their three age groups - nines, 10s and 11s - will be here at the same time and they will probably be allocated a full-size pitch. Then our technical advisors will spend time with the coaches.
"I think that is the most positive part of it. It gives us far more time to implement programs with the clubs."
He believed the hourly rate for hiring a full-sized pitch, which included lighting costs, was reasonable given NNSWF's need to ensure maintenance expenses do not become a burden on members.
"I'm pretty sure people understand the expenses involved with maintaining synthetic pitches so I think it's reasonable and the response from clubs would indicate that," he said.
While the Jets will no longer train at Speers Point, Eland said the club's youth sides will likely use the facility as a home ground for competition games.
The Jets are awaiting a decision from Football NSW on their application to join the Sydney-based NSW NPL.
Newcastle's youth teams have been playing up an age division in the NNSW NPL but are seeking acceptance into the Sydney competition, where they will play against their own age.
If they are not accepted, the Jets will remain in the NNSW NPL. The decision will have implications for the senior NPL competition, which will drop to 10 teams if the Jets leave or remain at 11 if they stay.
Meanwhile, Eland expected the NPL finals format to be a topic of debate when the competition's standing committee next meets.
He said a change away from the four-team, home-and-away semi-final system was mentioned by clubs during the NPL review this year.
Clubs wanted the home-and-away format, rather than a five-team system with major, minor and elimination semi-finals, in recent years to ensure all finalists had a home game.