Kootingal Kougars withdraw Premier League sides for upcoming season

The disappointing development comes three years after the club's heralded return to the Premier League after a long absence.

Kougars president Cassie Cutmore said the club was hopeful of having a women's side and "possibly some third-grade men's sides" this season.

"The squad we ran last year had good numbers," she said.

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"It was just that times have changed, and people are moving away, and a lot of [our] cohort have been to uni, and girls moving on doing life.

"So we're just waiting to see what that looks like for us."

Cutmore said she did not regard the Kougars' exit as disappointing.

"I still find it exciting that those involved in the club are the reason why it's such a family-orientated club," she said.

"And I know those people will always be around.

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"But we'll just build up from the ground, and see where it takes us in the future."

Regarding the Kougars' junior sides in 2023, Cutmore said the club were "waiting to see what that looks like".

"And, obviously, with the changes to our senior structure, we've got a bigger picture to sort out too," she added.

Chris Jarrett, the Kougars' Premier League coach since their return to the competition in 2020, said the club's top-grade demise was about "being realistic".

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"It has been challenging for us to be involved in the Premier League over the last three years," he said.

"I've certainly been proud of the efforts on the field over the last three years ... but it's just a struggle.

"Having a handful of players at each training [session], and only a core [group] of players training twice a week, there probably wasn't that drive to play at that level once Armidale came back into the equation."

After a three-year absence, the Armidale-based clubs will return to the Premier League this season.

Jarrett said the increase in match-day travel was the "extra challenge" for 2023.

"So, it is what it is," he said.

In their three seasons in the top grade, Kootingal won only four matches and finished last the past two seasons.

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