Mid-West Cup teams are dropping like flies as a merger into the Woodbridge Cup edges closer.
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Western area manager for NSW Rugby League, Evan Jones, said as it currently stood, just three Mid-West teams - Oberon, CSU and Orange United - were likely to feature in any combined competition.
"Potential draws have been put to the clubs now that we have a bit more clarity over who will be coming across because originally Portland were looking like they'd be involved and that's now not likely," he said.
"Mid-West won't run this year in the state it was previously."
There was also a hope that Lithgow Bears would be able to muster up the numbers to take part in the merger, but Evans said that was looking less and less likely.
"Lithgow had their first training session this week and they're short on numbers of where they'd like to be, to be competitive in 2022," he added.
He noted there were "two fairly good" options for draws within the merged competition and they were waiting on feedback from clubs.
One was an option for two six-team pools which Evans said was his preferred structure as it would "significantly reduce" travel for the teams participating. There would also be potential for crossover games similar to the Peter McDonald Premiership.
The other option would see all teams within the competition play each other once, with some rivalry games thrown in. This would need to be considered over a two-year cycle to support home and away fixtures.
But should those three Mid-West teams be the only sides to join Woodbridge, not all would necessarily be lost for the remaining clubs.
"I think we've got an opportunity not to lose clubs," Evans added.
"There's a Community Cup model that Carcoar, Gilgandra, Burrangong Bears and a few other clubs played in a couple of years ago, so that's something we'd look at doing with the existing Mid-West clubs that didn't come under this new format.
"There would still be the option for them to participate under a Community Cup model. Portland, Kandos, Lithgow Bears and potentially even Blackheath coming back into the competition.
"You'd look at a five or a six week competition, similar to our Western women, with a two week final series."
He hoped a final decision would be made within a couple weeks' time.
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