ZAC Merritt just wants to play rugby league this season, but he says if ever there was a year to trial a combined Group 10-Group 11 premiership, this would be it.
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The St Pat's captain-coach was delighted last week when New South Wales Rugby League revealed it was aiming to start community competitions on July 18.
Just what format that season will take for his Saints - if the coronavirus pandemic eases enough for it to go ahead - remains to be seen.
However, at Wednesday night's Group 10 meeting one option which is expected to be discussed is a potential combined competition contested with Group 11 clubs.
It's an idea which Merritt thinks has potential.
"I wouldn't mind the Western cluster thing, I think it would be good to play the stronger teams from either comp and make it a big thing," he said
"I am happy just to play Group 10 as well, but if they were going to trial it, this would be the year to trial it, there's been talk for a number of years about merging the two Groups together."
Earlier this month Forbes Magpies president Matt Coleman drafted a plan for a 15-team Western premiership which would be contested between clubs from Group 10 and Group 11.
Keep with geography and rivalries in mind Coleman's idea was to split the teams into three pools - he had Merritt's Saints in the same pool as Bathurst Panthers, Mudgee, Narromine and Wellington.
READ MORE: July date is set for rugby league's return
Merritt is not a stranger to battles between Group 10 and Group 11 clubs.
He participated in the former pre-season challenge which pitted the Western rivals against each other, while he has also played in several editions of the Brendon 'Stubby' Collits Memorial between St Pat's and Forbes.
He also feels a combined competition would be more successful than the current Western Premiers Challenge. As the name suggests, that see the respective Group 10 and Group 11 title winners square off.
"It [premiers challenge] is hard that because people put so much effort into their season, their premiership - that's what you strive for, winning your Group. But then you've got to turn up for that weekend," he said.
"But a Western comp, it's a good initiative, you get to see different teams playing each other and different brands of footy. I think it might be a good draw card for crowds really.
"It's pretty good that Group 10-Group 11 rivalry, no-one wants to get beaten by each other.
"It is two completely different brands of footy what Group 10 and Group 11 play, so you'd get to see some good footy if they did something like that, but that's for people in higher spots than me to work out.
"But if they want to do something like that, I'd be keen to support it."
