A major change that will affect the Namoi Soccer League’s 2022 finals series was made on Monday night during a meeting between Northern NSW Football and the competition’s clubs.

During a Zoom meeting, it was decided that the finals series will include four teams instead of the initially-decided three.

That will mean the finals series will now run across three weeks instead of two.

The competition was made up of four teams in 2020 and four teams in each grade in 2021, which prompted the finals series to be reduced to just three teams rather than four to ensure that all four teams in each grade were not guaranteed a spot.

However, to account for the two extra clubs involved in the Namoi Soccer League in 2022, four sides will contest the finals in both first grade and reserve grade.

The first week of the finals will be played on Saturday, August 27, and will see semi-finals contested.

The first grade minor premiers will host the major semi-finals, which will see the first-placed side take on the second-placed side in each grade.

The team ranked third in the first grade competition will host the minor semi-finals, which will see the third-ranked team play against the fourth-ranked team in each grade.

In both grades, the team that wins the major semi-final will progress to the September 10 grand final, while the loser will play on Saturday, September 3, in the preliminary final against the winner of the minor semi-final.

The loser of the minor semi-final will be eliminated.

While the major and minor semi-finals and the preliminary final games will be scheduled to be played at the home ground of the highest-ranked first grade side, reserve grade teams can play at an alternate venue if both agree, to limit unnecessary travel.

However, both grand finals will be locked in to be played at the home ground of the first grade team that prevails in the major semi-final.

There are just five rounds left to play before the finals series begin.

This Saturday’s round 11 fixtures will see Narrabri Eleven FC host Moree Services FC at Hogan Oval, Narrabri FC host Wee Waa United at the same venue, and Inverell FC travels to take on Gunnedah FC.

To order photos from this page click here