The Black Diamond AFL will almost double in size next year if a proposal to promote five first-division teams gets passed during the off-season.
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Maitland, Singleton, Wyong, Gosford and Lake Macquarie could all be on the up in 2018 following discussions at Sunday’s annual general meeting.
Around 35 people were in attendance at Belmont 16s with first grade expansion, player points system and AFL NSW-ACT affiliation on the agenda.
The current six-team competition features premiers Terrigal-Avoca, grand finalists Cardiff, perennial powerhouse Newcastle City, Nelson Bay, Warners Bay and Killarney Vale.
Black Diamond AFL president Wal Bembic said officials have been working towards this growth throughout recent campaigns with a tailored draw designed to help the cause.
“Certainly the idea of all the changes over the last few years has been to expand the Black Diamond Cup competition,” Bembic said.
“We’ve got six teams and previously we’ve had teams come up for a year or two, but next year we hope to have five sides come up and while it is a big step up we would have a seeded competition.
“Those five new teams will play each other twice and they’ll play the existing six teams once. The existing six teams will play each other twice and they’ll play the new five teams once.
“So it’s a bit of a soft landing, but clubs get the opportunity to play the best and also play the most games against the sides at their own level.”
Maitland and Singleton played in this year’s first-division grand final, Wyong were minor premiers while Gosford and Lake Macquarie both missed the semis.
The potential introduction of a player points system, including a recruitment cap, may also ease that transition.
“The idea being to enable new clubs who come to the Black Diamond to recruit as many players as they can and the top teams every year would be limited in their recruitment,” Bembic said.
Player sign-on restrictions imposed on Newcastle City and Terrigal Avoca for 2017 have now been lifted.
Bembic said next year’s lower grades would depend on nominations but a three-tier structure was proposed.
All clubs have until Friday, November 17, to respond to the outlined changes before the Black Diamond AFL board meets on Wednesday, November 29.
