FOUR teams will again contest first grade and a long-serving administrator ended his tenure on the AFL Central West committee following Sunday’s annual general meeting at the Orange Ex-Services Club.

Dubbo’s motion to force either Mudgee or Young to step up from reserve grade to first grade caused plenty of debate but it was eventually defeated four votes to two.

This will see Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo and Cowra continue to contest first grade, while those four clubs, Mudgee and Young will again play in reserve grade.

“The status quo will remain. Mudgee and Young will play reserve grade,” AFLCW operations manager Tony Lewis said.

“There was certainly some vigorous debate and there is always two sides to every story.”

Geoff Day’s absence from Sunday’s meeting was another issue arising from the AGM.

The AFLCW life member did not attend the meeting and did not stand for re-election for secretary, ending a stint on the committee spanning more than 20 years.

The secretary position remains vacant following the AGM, while Luke Whitton returns as vice-president, Rob Jay as treasurer and Lewis as operations manager.

Michael Haley was also re-elected president, however, the league will look for a replacement as Haley has other commitments competing for his time.

A special meeting will be held on February 28 via phone hook-up to ratify changes to the AFLCW constitution needed to establish an over-riding board, which is hoped will drive Australian Rules football in the Central West in the future.

Tribunal chairman Jack Munk was also made a AFLCW life member at Sunday’s meeting.