NEW South Wales Touch Football Association general manager Dean Russell has confirmed they have no intention of breaking their five-year NSW State Cup contract with the region.
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With the touch football grapevine in full swing, Russell said he had received phone calls from various affiliates asking if 2019 would be the final year the event would be held on the Mid-North Coast.
He said that was not the case.
"We don't know how it started, but there are rumours going around that this will be our last year in Port Macquarie," Russell said.
"That's not true and we will be here until 2022; there is no inkling or desire to break our contract."
With this year's event now under four weeks away, Russell said they were keeping a close eye on the bushfire situation around the Mid-North Coast.
While the uncertainty surrounding highway and road closures is likely to impact on team numbers, NSWTA's view is that the event will still go ahead as normal.
"It is something we're monitoring, but it's not like a rugby league game where we can move it from the stadium in Port Macquarie to Newcastle," Russell said.
We don't know how it started, but there are rumours going around that this will be our last year in Port Macquarie.
- NSW Touch Football Association general manager Dean Russell
"It's an event that has over 700 games and 5000 people coming to town so it's not something that is easy to uproot and move somewhere else.
"We see Port Macquarie as our second home and when it's under threat we look at how the community is first; we do have concerns about how the locals are coping."
Russell said he had been - and would continue to be - in constant contact with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.
"I wouldn't say we don't have concerns; our view is that the event is still going ahead because I don't think anyone can predict what will happen in four weeks' time."
With thick smoke blanketing Port Macquarie on various occasions throughout the last week, Russell said they would look at altering playing conditions if the situation didn't improve.
"There are concerns about air quality so it might be something where we look at having two 12-minute halves instead of having a straight 30-minute game," he said.
"It's not something you can predict, but it is something you can work with so we might have to put some measures in place."
With State Cup events and rain going hand-in-hand over the years, the NSWTA general manager could hold the key to providing relief from the bushfires.
"I wouldn't mind if we brought some rain with us this time," he said.
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