After a successful return of the Western Premier League in 2020, officials will be hoping to expand the competition heading into next season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Seven teams - Barnstoneworth United, Dubbo Bulls, Dubbo Macquarie United, Lithgow Workmen's, Orana Spurs, Panorama and Parkes Cobras - participated in the first Central West-wide soccer competition since 2012, with Bulls defeating Macquarie 2-1 in the grand final back in September.
Football NSW regional development manager Andrew Fearnley said applications to join next season's WPL competition are expected to be sent out to a number of associations before Christmas.
READ MORE:
"The seven teams from last year will be offered retention of staying in the WPL," he said.
"It'll just be a process of allowing other clubs within Bathurst, Orange, Lachlan and Lithgow to potentially join."
With three Dubbo teams already in the competition, it seems unlikely the local association will be allowed to enter another team.
"Dubbo have got three teams at the moment, so I don't think it would be ideal to add another Dubbo team, just with the balance of travel," Fearnley said.
"Three was also the limit we looked at within an association, so the concept of how the WPL is formatted, it's the associations right to say which three clubs within their association go into the WPL."
Fearnley said Orange Waratahs is the main team in the region that he'd like to see join the WPL, but there's potential interest in other locations right across the region.
"Obviously Orange Waratahs is one we'd like to encourage to come into the WPL, given they were originally going to be a part of it but had to withdraw," he said.
"Mudgee has indicated some interest about joining and obviously another Bathurst club would be ideal. You've got Collegians and Abercrombie who played in the grand final, so there's probably discussion between Bathurst District Football and those clubs about where they see themselves, about whether they can do it."
There's also potential for Cowra, Forbes and Young - who are all a part of the Lachlan Soccer Association - to enter teams.
"There's no talks there yet but we'll go to Lachlan and see if there's interest for anyone there, including Cowra, but there's also potential for Forbes and Young," he said.
"Young do play in Football Wagga but they're definitely a part of Lachlan."
Fearnley said 10 teams would be an ideal amount of teams heading into the future.
"I think we could operate fairly well with between seven and 10 teams," he said.
Prior to the build up to the 2020 WPL season and throughout it, Fearnley said interest in the competition was higher than what was originally anticipated.
"The more pleasing thing was the support from the associations and football people in general, particularly with the streamed games, with the number of people tuning in to watch them," he said.