It is expected there will be an eight-team first-grade competition next season, with the addition of the Moree Boars, and a 10-team reserve-grade competition.

Read also:

Clubs have until the end of the month to finalise teams, with the season tentatively scheduled to start on April 24.

Psarakis said it was hoped all the clubs would have finalised their teams by now.

"But due to circumstances with a few clubs, they contacted us to say that they're having meetings and they're having training sessions and they just wanted a bit more time to finalise their side."

There was speculation Manilla and Barraba would field first-grade sides this season, but that will not happen.

Psarakis said Group 4 had "come to an agreement" with the two clubs that they could "play wherever they want" this season.

"And I believe that they'll be playing reserve grade," he added.

"But we did say that the following season we'll look at it a bit more closely and see if we can help them to maybe put teams in the first-grade comp."

The main benefit of Manilla and Barraba fielding first-grade sides would be to balance the draws.

"Because Manilla and Barraba don't have a first-grade side," Psarakis said, "there's teams that play against them that can't play all their teams against them."

It is expected there will be a 10-team league tag competition and an eight-team under-18 competition.

Psarakis said Farrer wanted to field an under-18 side.

"They can only do that under an existing club. We are working with Farrer to do this," he said.