A sense of change is hanging over what is expected to be a hotly contested Group Nine annual general meeting on Sunday.
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It could shape more than the structure of next season as the meeting could see an overhaul of the existing status quo.
The length of the season, finals format, the timing of the grand final and whether the Sullivan Cup remains a part of senior football are all on the agenda but so too could be the leadership of the group.
After last year's inability to fill a full board, there are 12 nominations for the eight-person executive this year.
All seven current members are standing for re-election along with five newcomers.
President Jack Morton called for change in August, and Group Nine could be in for an overhaul with the new group of nominees representing a younger demographic then many current board members.
Morton has been part of the Group Nine administration for decades and can’t recall so much interest or so many nominations leading into the AGM.
“It has been a fair while since we’ve had that many,” Morton said.
“We were one short last year and there is quite a few younger people there, which is good, but how it ends up time will tell.”
Country Rugby League chief executive Terry Quinn is also coming which adds another dimension to the meeting.
Group Nine officials originally expected many of the competition’s structural queries to be sorted last month, but the clubs couldn’t come to a decision, particularly over whether to play 16 or 18 rounds in 2019.
The longer format would allow for a home and away draw.
Morton expects the vote to be tight after a 16-round competition was decided on this year.
Last week, Group Nine Juniors voted to have the under 16s remain in the senior league for 2019 but be part of the junior league set up for 2020.
Whether the senior clubs agree is just one of the talking points, with the ideal of having under 17s and under 19s grades instead also floated as an alternative along with the possibility of more leaguetag.
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