Northern NSW NPL coaches have welcomed the addition of Cooks Hill, and the extra games they will bring, in 2022.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And they hope more are on the way.
The Newcastle Herald revealed last week that Cooks Hill had gained approval from Northern NSW Football to join the NPL next season, bringing the league up to 11 teams. NNSWF is expected to announce the change on Wednesday.
The move is not expected to foreshadow the return of promotion-relegation, but NNSWF is believed to be working on introducing a 12th compliant team, potentially for 2023.
The news of Cooks Hill's rise was met with unanimous approval from seven NPL coaches who replied to Back of The Net on Tuesday.
All said the competition needed more games but the addition of byes, given the odd number of teams next year, was a negative. All hoped the league would grow to 12 soon to eliminate byes.
As for promotion-relegation, there were various suggestions about how it could return. It has not been in place since 2015 because of the lack of NPL compliant clubs in second division.
Lambton Jaffas co-coach Shane Pryce said he was "all for expansion" and more games but not byes.
"We've already got wash-out rounds, then FFA Cup [weekend] if you're not in it, so not playing week in, week out would be my only criticism," Pryce said.
He said promotion-relegation was a difficult proposition given some second-tier clubs don't have the resources needed for NPL.
Maitland coach Mick Bolch said Cooks Hill joining was "a good thing, No.1, because it gives us more games. The competition is nowhere near long enough at 18 games. We're the premier competition around here and the NPLs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, some play nearly 30."
As for promotion-relegation, he said: "It definitely needs to come back but it's whether this is the right time. If they do, they need to give two years notice so clubs can prepare."
Graham Law coached Cooks Hill to three successive premierships before taking over at Charlestown in the NPL. He was "really pleased for the club because I know the work the committee have done". However, he said now adding a 12th team was "imperative because a bye at this level is ridiculous".
Law also believed promotion-relegation should return, saying it would give second-tier clubs an incentive to reach compliance.
"Even at a minimum, the team who wins second division should have a play-off against the bottom team in the NPL," he said.
Edgeworth boss Michael Bridges welcomed the rise of Cooks Hill, saying "more games in the top division for the lads, and the more football everyone is playing, the better they will become. If we can get to 12, 14 teams in that top comp, why not?"
The ex-Premier League star was also "a big believer in promotion-relegation" but said "the thing I couldn't get my head around here is that if the seniors get relegated, the juniors go down as well. That absolutely stinks".
"You might have unbelievable junior teams who get obliterated and go somewhere else. If they can get around that flaw, I'm absolutely for it, because it keeps everyone on their toes."
Broadmeadow coach Damian Zane welcomed more teams and games, while agreeing with Bridges on promotion-relegation.
"The whole promotion-relegation thing comes into play if youth aren't involved in clubs," he said. "The youth should even be with a sister club that's solely focused on youth. The quality of football can't get better without quality facilities and there's too much strain on them."
Valentine player-coach Adam Hughes said "more games, the better" but he was more concerned with improving youth development.
"More teams will give more young players a chance, depending on how we stipulate the rules," he said. "The player points system is too easy to get around. If teams are made to field so many under 20 players, I think it'll be a benefit."
He said promotion-relegation was "good because it adds to the excitement, and it changes clubs' focus from the start of the season on what they set out to achieve."