The Sydney Rugby Union announced on Friday that the Wildfires would be part of a revamped 12-team Shute Shield competition for at least the next three years.

There had been a push by six clubs - Eastern Suburbs, Manly, Gordon, Northern Suburbs, Sydney University and Randwick - to reduce the number of teams in the competition. Penrith have subsequently been axed.

Rugby Australia and NSW Rugby Union regard the Hunter as a vital catchment area and strongly supported the Wildfires' inclusion.

"The wider Hunter region has been identified by NSWRU as an area of growth and this is supported by over 2,300 junior registrations," Sydney Rugby Union president Phil Parsons said in a statement..

READ MORE: WILDFIRES' GUN IN SIGHTS OF NPC CLUBS

READ MORE: WILDFIRES BACK TO BOLSTER LOCAL CLUBS

READ MORE: COVID-19 HALTS SHUTE SHIELD CAMPAIGN

Providing a pathway for Hunter juniors has been the driving force behind the rebirth of the Wildfires.

"We want to give kids in the region an opportunity to stay at home and play in the Shute Shield," Wildfires president Brett Sutherland said. "We see the Wildfires as an absolute benefit for the region from under sevens through to first grade.

"We have a really strong relationship with Hunter juniors. The junior representative teams are called the Wildfires and we are working together to develop a common playing kit. The kids will identify that the rep jersey they play in is the same as the team playing in Shute Shield. It is like playing under-10s for the Knights."

The Wildfires will field a minimum of two senior grades, a colts (under-20s) and a women's side in the Sydney competition.

They have had to play catch-up since taking up an offer to compete in a COVID-19 abbreviated Shute Shield in 2020. Their inclusion this season was only confirmed in February.

The surety means they are finally on an even playing field with the other clubs and can plan ahead.

"We would not have accepted a one-year option. It doesn't gives us any scope to do anything," Sutherland said.

"Part of the participation agreement is that we engage a full-time coach and general manager. We are looking to transition [coach] Scott Coleman into a full-time role and are advertising for a general manager.

"We have also had discussions with the NSW Rugby about running a dual-badged Wildfires-Waratahs academy."

The Wildfires are an arm of Hunter Rugby, but have their own governance and are self sufficient.

"Any spend we make sits within budget and sits within cash flow," Sutherland said. "We don't buy something for $10 if we only have $2. Our financial position is very separate to that of Hunter Rugby.

"Our corporate partners have been tremendous for us during this period. Like any rugby club, we can't survive or be sustainable without them. Most our our major partners are locked in for a three to five year term, which is beneficial to us in terms of planning. It added some comfort to SRU in our submission."

The Wildfires recruited 22 players - a condition put in place by the Hunter Rugby Union - this season.

After a slow start, they had won two straight to move to ninth position when the competition was suspended due to COVID two months ago.

Back-rowers Henry Stowers and OJ Noa played for Samoa and halfback Leon Fukofuka represented Tonga in World Cup qualifiers last month.

"We have some clear air and we can make some decisions around the playing group," Sutherland said. "Those discussions are well advanced. Recruitment never stops. There is a lot to be done."

The remainder of the 2021 season is set to be abandoned.

It will be just the fifth time in the competition's 147-year history that the season has been cancelled and the first time since 1918 - the final year of World War I.

IN THE NEWS:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: