A Sunday night meeting has determined that Waratahs FC will not be taking part in the returning Western Premier League campaign after club personnel decided there isn't enough player interest across the board.
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Skipper Ryan Sinclair, who'd previously expressed concern about his players' commitment levels this winter, said there just weren't enough hands on deck for his side to be viable.
"It's the first year of getting the competition back off the ground so it's disappointing that we're not going to be a part of it," Sinclair said.
It's disappointing that we're not going to be a part of it.
- Ryan Sinclair
"We just had a lack of commitment. We probably only had 10 or 12 guys that were fully keen on doing it and we needed a squad of about 16."
"A lot of the senior guys have been playing golf and spending time with their young families and just weren't interested given what's happened.
"It was mainly those senior guys that didn't have the commitment... the ones who have played at that level before."
The Tahs' withdrawal brings the competition down to eight clubs and Sinclair isn't sure that the men in blue will be the last side to pull out of the 2020 WPL.
"I think a lot of sides will be sitting on the fence as well and waiting on others... that's my gut feeling," he said.
"We probably could have fielded a side but it wouldn't have been our strongest."
There's certainly disappointment among the playing group at Waratahs but Sinclair said the guys who were keen to play will still have the opportunity to mix it up at a local level.
"We're looking at having two or three A-grade sides," he said. "There's going to be a meeting about that on Monday.
While Sinclair's men won't be a part of this year's WPL, there's certainly optimism at the club that they'll feature in 2021. "We'll be keen to go around again next year," he said.
The remaining clubs are: Panorama, Barnstoneworth United, Lithgow Workmen's FC, Macquarie United, Orana Spurs, Bulls (Dubbo) and the Parkes Cobras.
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