North Coast Football Premier League competition restructured due to travel trouble, cost concerns

North Coast football’s top competition will be a different beast in the 2023 season. Here’s how the new format will impact players and families.

Coffs Harbours top football competition is set for a change coming into the 2023 season. See how the new format will work

A shake up of the North Coast Football Premier League competition means two new clubs will join football’s top competition in northern NSW in 2023.

While the changes mean the competition will lose teams from the south, it will gain Westlawn Tigers (Grafton) and Woolgoolga United.

The goal is for players and spectator travel times to be cut down, attracting players keen to play at the highest level but unable to manage long trips.

A decision by several clubs to reject participating in the Coastal Premier League competition was made a few months ago.

The women’s game will see no changes, with teams in the Coffs Coast to still travel as far south as Forster.

The competition will lose teams in the southern region, but will gain a Woolgoolga and a Grafton club. Picture: contributed

Northern Storm vice president Eric McCarthy said returning to a north-zone competition would benefit players, parents, clubs and sponsors.

“We had many talented players who wanted to play but just couldn’t make the travelling sacrifice,” he said.

Mr McCarthy said the tournament will sacrifice talent by separating from southern clubs.

“We will lose quality in the league but there’s plenty of quality in Grafton and Maclean” Mr McCarthy said.

But he said the new clubs would attract talent in regions where players previously deemed substantial travel as undesirable.

Northern Storm Football Club vice president Eric McCarthy (right) says the changes benefit players, parents, clubs and sponsors – but more work must be done around football pathways in Australia.

Last year, Mr McCarthy and several other club representatives approached North Coast Football and suggested six teams to represent the north and south zones.

They proposed the two zones would play separate tournaments until eventually clashing to play against each other in a world cup-style knockout finals.

Mr McCarthy said more work should be done to improve football development and growth in Australia.

“Simply put – the premier league is too expensive,” he said.

Players are expected to fork out in excess of $1000 and anywhere up to $5000 to play at the top level.

“In other countries development is free,” Mr McCarthy said.

Premier league players are expected to fork out excess of one thousand dollars and anywhere up to five thousand to play at the top level.

Westlawns president Mick Salvestro said the inclusion of his club would “reinvigorate” the competition.

“It allows players in the area to compete against stronger opposition,” Mr Salvestro said.

He said Clarence footballers had been left without an avenue to progress since they exited the competition more than three years ago.

“Our local team only had four teams last year so many of our guys are really excited to get going,” he said.

Mr Salvestro was confident his club could compete against the top teams in the Coffs Coast.

Westlawn Tigers Football Club president Mick Salvestro said the changes will "reinvigorate” the competition.

North Coast Football president Wendy Shafer said she expected an increase in player registrations in the region as a result of the changes.

“It will offer clubs an opportunity to play a high level of football locally with limited travel time,” she said.

Ms Shafer believes returning to the format previously used would provide “strong representation” of men’s football across the region as a whole.

Following the Socceroos impressive performance in Qatar, the sport has faced challenges after violent protests erupted in Melbourne last month.

Moreover, Aussie football has not enjoyed smooth sailing in recent years – with Covid and flooding causing constant disruption.

Some referees walked out of the job at the end of last season after they copped abuse.

With the local season set to kick off in March, players and clubs will be entering pre-season with high expectations.