The decision on whether the Footie Fours concept will be activated should be made early next week, said Group 4 interim chairman Terry Psarakis.
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Footie Fours, unveiled for the first time last week, is Psarakis' baby and would be a four-team nines competition. It is designed to give players footy action in 2020 after Group 4 cancelled the season because of COVID-19.
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A tentative start date of October 3 has been set.
Psarakis would be "disappointed" is Footie Fours failed to launch, but would understand it if players determined the four-week competition was "a bit late" in the year.
"I'd like to think that there would be enough player interest, and sponsor interest as well," he said.
Under the Footie Fours concept, the Group 4 board would name four captains, who would then sit down with their manager and/or sponsor on a selection night. They would each select a squad of 15 players from a draft (there would be a reserve pool of players).
The comp would be played over three successive Saturday nights, with nine-minute halves. The finals would be on October 24.
The concept is based on the now-defunct Tamworth Premier League cricket competition. (Psarakis was Tamworth District Cricket Association president when the Premier League was launch).
He said the venue for Footie Fours "depends on the sponsor". "[I] hope to have an answer by Monday."
Psarakis - whose numerous sports administration roles include Country Cricket NSW deputy chairman and Central North Cricket chairman - was sitting on the Group 4 board for the first time when then-chairman Ray McCoy resigned in July.
"Basically I was asked to come on [the board]," Psarakis said. "I think they were looking for business-type people."
Psarakis runs Psarakis Accounting in Tamworth. "I would like to do something for Group 4, for rugby league," he said. "Hence this new concept [Footie Fours]."
A decision on McCoy's successor will be made at Group 4's annual general meeting in November.
Players interested in taking part in Footie Fours can register via Group 4 secretary Catherine Weeks (the cost is $80).
