The sides will compete in Capital Football’s PS4 National Premier League competitions.

The Rhinos will be the top tier of what new Griffith District Football Association president Angelo Cirillo is calling a three-pronged attack.

“Domestic football doesn't have to take a back seat, we have to create the synergy to be able to provide the avenues,” Cirillo said.

“We’re trying to deliver a domestic construct for football. Bring the kids, enjoy your game, play football.

“We’re in talks with Wagga, there’s no secret in relation to that, to be able to offer an additional competition structure for clubs that have aspirations and to give a bit more variety in that avenue.

“And the Rhinos for the elite pathway.”

Cirillo was excited by the prospect and paid homage to the past association for putting the Riverina Rhinos into place.

The Rhinos will field sides in 13s, 14s, 16s, 18s, 20s and opens and all Riverina branch players can trial.

“We’re the only fully endorsed operation for an elite pathway for player development in Riverina. We have support from the Riverina branch, Football NSW and now ACT,” he said. 

“We’re looking for interest from the other branches, Wagga, Cootamundra, Deniliquin. It’s open to trial, trials are booked for November 20 and that’ll be open to everyone in the region.”

The main speed bump for the Rhinos is the all-age men’s team and Cirillo admitted the first year was going to be tough.

“It’s going to be a challenge, but we’re going to create that pathway for the progression of the age groups through to all-age men,” he said.

Talks with Football Wagga will continue with a meeting slated for November 27.

Hanwood FC, Yoogali SC and Griffith City have all expressed interest in joining the Wagga competition.

Cirillo hoped the potential of a joint competition will become clearer following the sit-down.

“The conversations that have been had in relation to clubs from Griffith and with Football Wagga is about developing an avenue for these clubs to have more variety of competition,” Cirillo said.

Cirillo has always maintained a strong domestic structure was integral to all tiers of competition working.

He said if some clubs played in a joint competition with Wagga, while it would take players away from the domestic competition, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

“It’s not a question of whether it’s a strong competition, it’s about what the competition needs to deliver,” Cirillo said.

“People can still come and enjoy football at a competitive level, because that’s the nature of sport, the domestic structure should be able to provide that.”

Cirillo said expansion of the local competition was on the cards and his idea would bring back the road trip for clubs.

“We’re looking at avenues of where we can look to re-expand the number of teams in the Griffith competition," he said.

“We need to speak to the likes of Deniliquin, even potentially have a chat with people in West Wyalong. 

“They are the avenues we want to explore to be able to provide some variety back into domestic football.”

Cirillo called on the wider community to get behind the moves.

In particular the Rhinos, which will see six Canberra teams head to Griffith once a fortnight.

“We don’t just want to showcase football but also Griffith for what it is,” Cirillo said.