The AFL Central West is forging ahead with a two-tiered system for 2020 despite uncertainty from clubs as to how many teams they'll be able to form.
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The Parkes Panthers will play in the top tier of the competition after making a comeback to the competition in 2018.
AFL NSW/ACT leagues and community sustainability manager Cam Borgas, who's overseeing the transition to two tiers, said the league had eight senior men's teams in the bank for season 2020 and was hoping to have 10, which would leave a minimum of four sides in each tier.
He said the move to two tiers had been "progressing quite well" in the lead-up to the March 1 deadline for clubs to nominate teams for either the first or second tier, or both.
The league's plan is to run a six-team first grade competition with Bathurst Bushrangers, Bathurst Giants, Orange Tigers, Dubbo Demons, Parkes Panthers and Cowra Blues and a second tier of both Bathurst sides, an Orange side and a Dubbo side.
Of those four major clubs, both the Bushrangers and Orange will have the numbers for two sides, with the Bushrangers having two sides in the single-tier competition since it launched in 2016 and is committed to two teams in 2020 and the Tigers backing the concept last year.
The figures from this year to last year aren't too different," Borgas said.
"In any amateur sport a lot of people come in the last couple of weeks leading up to the season, so we're working with clubs to get it working."
In the event some clubs are unable to get second sides up, Borgas said the league would be able to place teams "in either tier depending on a range of factors".
Both Parkes and Cowra have indicated they would prefer to remain in the top tier.
Borgas said the clubs had all jumped behind the switch across to two tiers.
"The feedback has been it's given a lot of people confidence going in knowing there'll be two tiers so people can feel more confident (committing to play) knowing they can pick to play at a different level," he said.
"Moving to two tiers might be helpful for clubs like Mudgee or Young to see there's a path back into the competition."
While Mudgee made an effort to bring in numbers over social media, the club was unable to find the numbers.
The women's competition will remain unchanged.
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