Look at it this way;

NNSW is a football federation for this area responsible for administering the game under the FFA. We are putting teams into a national competition (FFA Cup), which may require an a-league team to visit a local Newcastle club to play. Under the FFA requirements, grounds need to conform to a set of standards to satisfy the FFA that our grounds are adequate for an a-league team to play in. They currently do not, with some facilities able to be labelled as embarrassing.

Player races seem to be the hot topic. Player races are required for player and official safety after games under FFA requirements. This is just NNSW telling our top clubs to get their shit in order so that we don't look like a bunch of mugs on the national stage, I'm guessing. I'm willing to bet the same people that are complaining about player races are the same people that complain that Broadmeadow and Edgy getting all the big games in town, with no thought to the fact that the facilities we are providing to teams travelling in a national competition are woeful or unsafe. If I was NNSW, I'd be dead before seeing a team from another federation play at Kahibah or Valentines current facility.

Clubs have had two or three years to get it together. They've known that the criteria would be tightening up for some time. They also have two or three years to get it together...while they play in ZPL. NPL licenses are only current for three years. Clubs will have to re-apply in three years time from my understanding. In any case, I see there being an NPL 1 & 2 with promotion between them. Promotion to NPL every three years.