Tamworth Touch Association to re-affiliate with NSW Touch

The committee made the decision on the back of burgeoning player numbers and a desire to offer players a chance to play at a higher level.

"We just thought it was time to offer the players a pathway to representative football," president Stacy Smith said.

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Committee member Steph Halpin added: "The player base is building again and we've got a few young athletes coming back into the sport who are willing to drive it.

"With the help of them, it's made the decision easier because it is a lot of work to get representative pathways up and I think it's fantastic people are coming on board - the more the merrier. We're always looking for help."

A large chunk of that new player base in Tamworth is coming from the secondary competition which started back up last year.

The secondary competition adds to the already established primary competition.

"Before reintroducing the secondary comp there was that gap [between primary school and opens], and so that's where we lost some kids, now there's that pathway all the way through," Halpin said.

"I work at Tamworth High so had direct access to some kids. Then it's word of mouth. It started off quite small but it's quickly grown, the kids are having a fantastic time.

"Now we have many of them playing not only the Monday night secondary comp but now again on Wednesday in the adult comp as well."

Halpin also said there was opportunities to play at the highest level.

"If they're playing representative touch here and then they move away for university or move closer to the cities then they have the potential to play in the NRL Touch competition," Halpin said.

"That link with the NRL and touch football is so fantastic for our kids."

Down the track, there is a potential for open men's and women's competitions to open up alongside the mixed competition.

"The priority is just getting people back playing touch footy and I think the pathway will definitely do that for a lot of people," Halpin said.

"But if they're not interested in representative pathways, at least they'll still have a good quality competition to come and play."

Touch is finished for the year after Tamworth Touch Association held their mixed grand finals last week. Touch will return in February when the new season kicks off.