NARWAN'S bid to get back on the rugby league field was shattered on Tuesday night after its submission was knocked back at a Group 19 meeting in Inverell.
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Narwan was left in the rugby league wilderness almost a decade ago, alongside current premiers the Moree Boomerangs, a year after it won its last of six premierships, five of them in a row starting from 1980.
Group 19 president Mick Lewis said that an anonymous vote went two thirds against and one third for, with the 2005 premiers needing 50 percent to take part in the season.
"The clubs voted not to accept their application for a number of reasons," Lewis said.
Some of the main concerns were that their proposed ground, Armidale's Newling Oval, lacked security and has a questionable surface with a cricket pitch in the centre.
"One of the conditions was that there would be no alcohol on the ground and without a perimeter fence that would be too hard to police," Lewis said.
"There are also no facilities for the referees and the change rooms are outdated."
The club was also divided into two factions, an aspect that also didn't fare well for it at the meeting.
"While they did an excellent submission, there was a difference of opinion from within the Narwan community as to whether or not they were ready to play this year," Lewis said.
"Some believed that the community wasn't right behind them yet."
There was also a concern that the club might leave the Armidale Rams a bit short, with the Rams only registering 48 senior players last season.
Finally, there was also the issue of a debt owed by the club to the CRL.
While the CRL had agreed to a payment plan of sorts, there was concern about the financial viability of the club.
With no alcohol sales and no gate takings without a fence, the club would have had to rely on sponsors, donations and other avenues of making money.
Some factions of the group and committee were not convinced it would be possible.
"Narwan was obviously very disappointed with the outcome and, honestly, I was a bit surprised as well," Lewis said.
An appeal is expected from the club, with spokesman Lyndon Strong believing they didn't get a proper hearing from Group 19 after meeting all the criteria set out by the group earlier in the year.
The club will now go back to the drawing board for the appeal, as well as starting a fresh submission for season 2016.
