Anyone know the outcome?

Voted 28-10 in favour of a switch to summer.
Be interesting to see what happens at a local league level now.

NWC vote Monday

loverugbyleague.com/news_5332-su ... eague.html No formal word on what the proposals are for the existing summer structure yet.

loverugbyleague.com/news_5332-su ... eague.html No formal word on what the proposals are for the existing summer structure yet.

Cumberland League already voted to trial a summer season (Mar-Nov) from 2012.

At NWC, not a vote but clubs asked what they think. 12 summer, 13 undecided, 23 winter - rest not here. Give and take a bit there as I tried to not count NCL clubs as people were asked. Obviously some clubs not here....

More of an update from NWC:

Clubs were simply asked to express what it was likely they would do. IT WAS NOT A VOTE ON NWC SWITCHING. The NWC committee has already decided they will continue offering winter rugby to those clubs who want it.

There are NCL clubs with teams in the NWC of course so when clubs were asked the committee member tried not to read their names out (as they're deciding through other routes) but she did read a few out (Eccles for example) and hence, the results were a little confused (as were some attendees at the end!).

My numbers were:

12 summer (I tried not to count any NCL club)
13 undecided
23 winter
with at least 10 not present

the numbers read out at the end were something like:

18 summer (but that definately included some NCL clubs whose names were read out!)
13 undecided
22 winter

The split was pretty much as expected - the traditional teams (and those higher up the structure) saying winter in the main and those choosing summer being mainly newer clubs (Accrington, Bury, Chorley etc.). The North Lancs district had the most wanting a switch - I didn't record every answer but for Manchester it was 2 summer, 3 winter, one undecided. For other areas some seemed solidly winter. There were some notable exceptions to those patterns so it will be interesting to see what happens. I imagine some undecided clubs will go each way.

A few reps in the room were asking questions about the summer structure - i was pretty surprised that they hadn't already looked into the proposals!

But there you have it - we'll get a smaller NWC (3 divisions less at least I reckon), and others switching to summer. Over the next few years I think more will drift out of winter as youngsters (who must go to summer surely!) filter into the open age ranks.

Of the NCL teams with 2nd teams in the NWCL, 11 of the 12 teams had already voted to take their first teams to the summer, and as a result their NWC sides would follow. Only Ince RB had voted for winter at last week's NCL meeting and stated at tonight's meeting that they were undecided what they were going to do.

In the poll clubs were given 3 options Summer, Winter or Undecided

The NWCL Management said that they would continue to run a winter league for those clubs that wanted it.

22 clubs indicated they wanted to remain in winter.

13 (including Ince RB) said they were as yet undecided.

20 (including 11 out of 12 NCL clubs) said they wanted to move to summer.

10 clubs were absent (Mostly from Barrow).

The NCL clubs are Crosfields (Div 5), Eccles (Div 4), Leigh East (Div 1), Leigh Miners(Div 1), Oldham St.Annes (Div 1), Rochdale Mayfield (Div 4), Saddleworth Div 4), Thatto Heath (Div1), Waterhead (Div 4), Wigan St,Judes (Div 2), Wigan St,Pats (Div 2).

The Other Clubs were
Accrington Panthers (NE Lancs - Div 6)
Bury Broncos (Lancs - Div 5)
Chorley Panthers (Lancs - Div 5)
Fitton Hill (Oldham - Div 6)
Folly Lane (Swinton - Div 1)
Leyland Warriors (Lancs - Div 3)
Little Hulton (Salford - Div 6)
Newton Storm (St.Helens - Div 5)
Woolston (Warrington - Div 2)

Of the absent clubs Bank Quay Bulls (Warrington - Prem Div) had previously shown and interest in moving to summer according to Ron Girvin.

Will be interesting to see which way the undecided clubs fall but it looks like a big shake up is on the cards no matter what.

Ince RB have said that their NCL team will be going to summer desite voting No initially. Which mean it is highly likely that their NWC team will follow suit.

The NCL side of this seems to be pretty well sorted but who will provide meaningful opposition for the likes of BQ? Lots of clubs on the NWC list seem to be caught in limbo, not meeting NCL criteria nor relevant opposition to play. A long way to go on this one I think.

Worst case scenerio IMO for NWC winter leagues is we only end up with 3/4 10 team leagues.

so no Prem teams other than BQ have indicated they want to move to summer?

Nope, and not many from upper divisions at all (exclusing the NCL sides). This could be a real issue (and thankfully not one I have to deal with!)...

Upper division side, wants to progress and sees summer as the way to go. Risks quitting NWC and therefore, its place in an upper division that it took 30+ years to get. Goes to summer, discovers there hasn't been a mass switch of similar standard sides, finds the standard too low, and players go back to NWC sides in winter instead, club ends up struggling.

that said, there are 4/5 NCL 2nd sides so it may not be too bad.

Which current NCL are considering coming over to NWC/staying in the BARLA Winter conference?

I've been told that of the 10 voting no at the NCL meeting, Ince Rose Bridge was the only one from our part of the world with the others being from Yorkshire and they suggested they might now follow the rest anyway...so that suggests none going into the NWC. I also imagine that some of teh other 9 will now change their mind given the vote result.

A BARLA Conference would need them to go into it and presumably, some of the better County League sides with good facilities to also move up (Golbourne is an obvious candidate). That would strip even more sides out of the NWC I presume!

Tbh, I can't really see a BARLA Conference league taking off and certainly not more than maybe one division?

That could easily work the other way round though. Player(s) leave their NWC side to try out summer rugby, finds the standard outside NCL below what he's used to, return to NWC club and summer side that depends on parachuting players in, struggles.

I think the biggest worry for the RFL is the gulf in playing standards between the NCL clubs and the rest. The key for them to make the transition work properly is to make sure the NWC tier is taken care of.