Promotion, Relegation & League Structure

[The Postman]

Pretty much halfway through the season, if promotion and relegation happened today.

NPL - 12 teams
Relegated to NL1 - Lakes
Pro/Rel Playoff - Adamstown

NL1 - 10 teams
Promoted to NPL - Belswans
Pro/Rel Playoff - Kahibah, West Wallsend, Thornton *if they meet criteria

ZL1 - 12 teams
Promoted to NL1 - Newcastle Suns
Relegated to ZL2 - Minmi

ZL2 - 11 teams
Promoted to ZL1 - Stockton
Relegated to ZL3 - South Maitland

ZL3 - 12 teams
Promoted to ZL2 - Lambton Jaffas


I wonder if the Federations will change things up to get ZL2 to an even number of teams. No relegation from ZL2 would be the simple fix, and then who knows what clubs drop out and/or join ZL3.

[finzee]

ZL3 should be the only grade with a bye and also the most transient as clubs workout whether ZL is for them or not.

[GO AWAY]

I predict NL1 will be
Kahibah v Toronto
Adamstown v West Wallsend

[The Postman]

Stockton win the golden ticket promotion into ZL1.

12 team comps across the 3 leagues with only first and ressies.

3rd grade to become Zone Conference League, aiming for 2 conferences with 12 teams. Open to NPL and down to submit teams.

[Jardelsimage]

Stockton win the golden ticket promotion into ZL1.

12 team comps across the 3 leagues with only first and ressies.

3rd grade to become Zone Conference League, aiming for 2 conferences with 12 teams. Open to NPL and down to submit teams.

Croatia and Stockton go to ZL1.
Mayfield Jnrs stay in ZL2 with Jaffas premiers also promoted to ZL2
ZL3 10 teams so far.

Kahibah have 2 teams in this conference setup, not sure why they didn't just put a ZL3 side in.
Dudley also has a team in.
ZL1 conference is still only 11 teams.

[Zone Insider]

Croatia and Stockton go to ZL1.
Mayfield Jnrs stay in ZL2 with Jaffas premiers also promoted to ZL2
ZL3 10 teams so far.

Kahibah have 2 teams in this conference setup, not sure why they didn't just put a ZL3 side in.
Dudley also has a team in.
ZL1 conference is still only 11 teams.

I wonder if Stockton will get the hate Croatia did in regards to promotion previously without being premeirs ? I doubt it

Hearing Nelson Bay also moving to zone 2

So Minmi get relegated from zone 1 but Mayfield don?t from zone 2 coz of a technicality ? That?s seems fair lol

[Fred Devils]

I wonder if Stockton will get the hate Croatia did in regards to promotion previously without being premeirs ? I doubt it

Hearing Nelson Bay also moving to zone 2

So Minmi get relegated from zone 1 but Mayfield don?t from zone 2 coz of a technicality ? That?s seems fair lol

ZL2 had a bye round last season, with Croatia and Stockton going up to ZL1 and only Minmi going down and then Nelson Bay and Jaffas coming up, what's more fair, 3rd place in ZL3 getting promoted or Mayfield getting relegated. Either way people aren't gonna be happy.

[NUGUNS]

So Minmi get relegated from zone 1 but Mayfield don?t from zone 2 coz of a technicality ? That?s seems fair lol

Minmi probably asked to be relegated after two years of struggling.

[Taffy]

I wonder if Stockton will get the hate Croatia did in regards to promotion previously without being premeirs ? I doubt it

Stockton aren't a club run by W*gs so of course the hate for it won't be there.


Will this be the last time the Zones change the rules to suit and have it all sorted now, or will there still be teams managing to avoid relegation. And if teams can avoid going down, why can't teams avoid going up, aka Dudley?

[Buddha]

I must be the only one ok with them not relegating anybody from ZL2 this year as a once off. If it means we get rid of the bye next season I am all for it.

And before anybody starts foaming at the mouth, I am aware it contradicts the enforced P/R they've mandated.

[The Postman]

I think they will settle on 12 teams for now - to get 10-team comps, you would need at least 4 more teams, they we have ZL1 to 4 and another massive restructure.

But again, all depends on clubs coming and going. A nice period of stability and growth would be great!

Aligning to only 1st and Ressies truly opens up the pyramid which it seems was the goal. Conference League is a nice "meeting the clubs halfway" while maintaining this.

[The Magician]

Stockton win the golden ticket promotion into ZL1.

12 team comps across the 3 leagues with only first and ressies.

3rd grade to become Zone Conference League, aiming for 2 conferences with 12 teams. Open to NPL and down to submit teams.

When will NPL clubs be able to apply for Third Grade participation, Third grade on a Friday Night at Magic Park sounds not bahd.

[Jardelsimage]

When will NPL clubs be able to apply for Third Grade participation, Third grade on a Friday Night at Magic Park sounds not bahd.

ZL clubs will still have 1st go at it, if ZL league do not take up all the spots then it will be opened up, well that's what he said anyway...there were 3 spots in Conference 1, Kahibah and Dudley have taken 2 of them, 1 spot left.

In my opinion this should not be an avenue for NPL clubs to put a team in, they are only filling a hole left by the ZL clubs who can't/won't do a 3rds team.

[straightred88]

ZL clubs will still have 1st go at it, if ZL league do not take up all the spots then it will be opened up, well that's what he said anyway...there were 3 spots in Conference 1, Kahibah and Dudley have taken 2 of them, 1 spot left.

In my opinion this should not be an avenue for NPL clubs to put a team in, they are only filling a hole left by the ZL clubs who can't/won't do a 3rds team.

Heard Croudace Bay were taking the zone 1 thirds spot

[Macca]

Stockton aren't a club run by W*gs so of course the hate for it won't be there.


Will this be the last time the Zones change the rules to suit and have it all sorted now, or will there still be teams managing to avoid relegation. And if teams can avoid going down, why can't teams avoid going up, aka Dudley?

Yeah must be racism, definitely not that people generally don't like people who are loud and arrogant.
Not saying that everyone from the club fits that description, but it doesn't take many before that becomes the club as a whole's rep.

Would be surprised if the ratio of Croatia posting to Stockton posting on these forums didn't exceed 100:1.

[The Postman]

If this is successful, I would imagine 5/6 more clubs might throw their hands up for 2026 and beyond. Then they could have 3 Conferences of 10 teams. Would be silly to cap it at 24 teams.

From all accounts it will be a constantly evolving league.

[Taffy]

Aligning to only 1st and Ressies truly opens up the pyramid which it seems was the goal. Conference League is a nice "meeting the clubs halfway" while maintaining this.

It's a very good idea to have a separate league for those clubs that do want to have a thirds competition while allowing those who don't want a 3rds team or can't get one to not have to worry about it.

Are these two conference leagues going to also have promotion/relegation between them? Are they going to be split based on location?

If no promotion relegation, could almost go with a finals series that combines the top 2 or 3 from each league to be proclaimed Conference Champions.

In my opinion this should not be an avenue for NPL clubs to put a team in, they are only filling a hole left by the ZL clubs who can't/won't do a 3rds team.

Should Dudley not be allowed to keep their thirds then? If they do what so many people on this forum believe they will do and be promoted to NPL in 2026, should they then have to drop their team?

[Buddha]

Heard Croudace Bay were taking the zone 1 thirds spot

They're already in there

[ranger]

Only problem with grading/pro-reg in conference league is that it'd make it impossible to line up with res/firsts. This season has worked out pretty well since 19 off 22 games are at same location as your firsts but as the comp evolves and more thirds drop out this number will obviously lower.

It's a good 'safety net' to stop clubs disappearing completely from zl football. Afew lean years let's a club regroup in conference league and build from there. Or new clubs have a crack in conference league and see if more 'structured - for want of a better term' football is for them.

Will be interesting to see how many npl/Northern clubs are interested in conference league - unsure how many in those systems once they're surplus to requirement will hang around the club and 'play for the jersey/community'.

I was pretty sceptical at first how it was going to all turn out, and don't get me wrong, I think Newcastle football has lucked out with numbers but it definately has its merits on paper at this stage.

[Jardelsimage]

If this is successful, I would imagine 5/6 more clubs might throw their hands for 2026 and beyond. Then they could have 3 Conferences of 10 teams. Would be silly to cap it at 24 teams.

From all accounts it will be a constantly evolving league.

if NPL want to do this, just start there own comp between themselves, not hard to do...the idea for slashing 3rds to this is not to give NPL clubs a comp or is it and we all have fell for it????