Junee Shire Council gave organisers the all clear to proceed with the popular rugby event despite plenty of rainfall leading into Saturday.

However clear skies on Friday paved the way for the tick of approval, pending more substantial rainfall.

Secretary Maree Allamby is thrilled the event was allowed to proceed after the impact of COVID restrictions forced the cancellation of both the 2020 and 2021 events.

"The food has been ordered, the grounds have been marked and it is the first time we get to use our new PA system and it's been tested," Allamby said.

"It is all systems go."

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The three-year gap hasn't deterred teams who will from not only across the Riverina but from Canberra and part of the Western Districts to play.

There will be 130 teams taking part.

In fact Allamby had to turn teams away as even after a couple of withdrawals some teams on the reserves list were unable to gain a start.

"The feedback I've been getting from everyone is they are all quite keen to come back, some teams have missed out so they were disappointed but we only have a certain amount of fields," she said.

A boost in the older age groups is particularly pleasing.

"It's really the older age groups and in the under 14s we had six or seven more teams than what we've had in the past few carnivals," Allamby said. "In one carnival we only had two in the under 15s and this year we've got four and after everything closed somebody else wanted to put a team in but we just can't fit them all in."

With such big numbers, the carnival is spread over plenty of ground with Laurie Daley Oval, Loftus Oval, Burns Park and Junee Showground all utilised.

Allamby is pleased with the drainage of most of the 17 grounds, but did admit there could be plenty of fun in the mud on the lower Junee Showground grounds.

"The grounds are holding up but there is still a bit of water on the Showground. I'm sure the kids will enjoy that," she said.

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