Agree with you Premy.

Earning promotion and winning promotion can be 2 different things.

You win promotion by minor premiership and should go, with exception of other factors such as going from 2 teams to 3, example being Raymond Terrace admitting they couldn't fill the 3 teams a few years ago and staying in ZL2 rather than coming to one. This decision somewhat validated now as struggling for numbers in lower grades. Not applicable from ZL1 to ZPL.

I believe Garden Suburb absolutely did the correct thing in going up as it was earned, however it wasn't won and others need to get over this. If multiple teams are needed to fill a higher division and you don't go and hence inferior teams do and you then play further interior teams, doesn't it make your subsequent results in that lower division less significant as you become a club playing below your level....? Case of damned if you do and damned if you don't!

We too took the option to go up from ZL2 to ZL1 without winning ZL2. We feel our decision was validated by leading the ZL1 comp in our first year for a good period, comfortably making the semis and then grand final.

Obviously I hope we at Jesmond get over the line and get to go up but I also hope Garden Suburbs stay because I'm a fat bastard and that canteen kicks ass.