EIGHT teams, 11 rounds of football plus a finals series - that is the goal for the Mid West Cup for season 2020.
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While most rugby league competitions in Western Division are contemplating reduced draws in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Mid West president Dallas Booth revealed his competition could involve more football than 2019.
Last season with just four clubs - CSU, Orange Barbarians, Portland Colts and Lithgow Bears - there were 10 rounds played before finals.
But with Oberon, Blackheath and Kandos set to make a return to the competition and new outfit Orange United Sports Club keen to debut, even with a delayed start to the 2020 season an extra round has been added to the draw.
Booth knows plenty could change between now and the proposed July 18 start date for community rugby league. But he is excited about what could lie ahead.
"There are a lot of boxes to tick before it can all go ahead and coming into winter it's a crucial time with everything that's going on, but if things keep going the same way, fingers crossed we can get some footy," Booth said.
"We really hope we can salvage something and we have a draft draw done up which will be 11 games and semis and grand finals.
"That would be a longer season that last year and we'd make sure the semis and finals finish before Group 10 semi-finals started. But again, there are a lot of boxes to tick for that to go ahead.
"If we could have that, have 11 rounds, it would be fantastic and to then have semis on top of that. If we got to the point where we could do that, it would be unbelievable, everyone would be really happy."
Booth said at this stage games will still be played on Saturdays and that all clubs who had intended to play prior to the virus outbreak are still keen to be part of a 2020 competition whatever format it takes.
"All the clubs have been in contact and all the clubs still really want it to go ahead. Even if it doesn't get to a full season and we have a shortened comp ... they have got questions, but the general consensus is every Mid West club is 100 percent keen to try and play this year providing that it's safe," he said.
