NEWCASTLE University rugby union club have inquired about playing on the Central Coast this season and are also exploring conducting a 12-team competition, with coach Tony Munro declaring "we just want to play footy".
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Southern Beaches coach Ben Kinkade has also approached the Central Coast about the possibility of joining their competition.
The move by the two clubs follows the decision last week to cancel the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union (NHRU) premiership season due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Central North and Illawarra zones have taken similar action.
The NHRU took the stance after consultation with the presidents of the 20 premier and divisional clubs and cited cost as the major factor.
"While restrictions are changing every day, the uncertainty means the Newcastle and Hunter rugby premiership season won't be going ahead," NHRU president Bill Clifton said. "What we are doing is working with clubs to make sure there are opportunities to engage in rugby in Newcastle and the Hunter."
University, who have undergone a major rebuilding phase, had been pushing for a modified 12-week season.
"I might be a bit of a traditionalist, but we just want to play footy," Munro said. "We have 82 registered players ready to go. The guys have been in the gym, we had camps [before COVID-19] ... they have worked really hard and so has the committee. And its fallen over. People on the whole have found reasons not to play, rather than find ways to play. We put a proposal into Central Coast Rugby Union president Larry Thomson last week and are awaiting a response."
Kinkade has also held talks with the Central Coast and fears players the club has worked hard to attract will be lost, possibly for good.
Beaches, who were close to folding last year, have 55 players committed.
"Of all the clubs, we stand to lose the most because we had to work so hard to rebuild the squad. They aren't rusted on as yet," he said. "What are we trying to achieve here? I'd love to know an accurate figure on the cost of putting a player on the field and whether the NHRU looked at ways to alleviate some of that cost before making a decision. Even if it takes a couple of years to get back to where everyone was - isn't that all right?
"I'm really disappointed with board's lack of planning and communication through the whole process."
Munro said the University competition, if given the green light, would be set up for 12 teams in two division and a start date of July 18.
"We put the proposal to the NHRU during a presidents hook up the other week and received a verbal approval," Munro said. "We are waiting on a response from the ARU and are making sure we follow all the right protocols."
"We have spoken to Gow-Gates Insurance and as long as the players are registered and the games get sanctioned, they will be covered as well. We have spoken to the referees and they are keen to be a part of it," he said
"We have taken the attitude that if we get the tick, we want to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place and are ready to go.
"We have a whole heap of ideas around it. Each team would bring their own marquee to change in. You make the players accountable and clean up after themselves. We will fence the ground off and have two fields side by side. There would be a couple of hours between each game, with likely time slots of 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
"If all that fails, I have spoken to Singleton about gala days, where each club takes it in turn to host a day. We have run sevens tournaments in the past.
"The guys just want to play footy. One way or the other, there will be footy out at Uni."
