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The decision by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to purchase the land at Tuffins Lane from St Agnes Parish has been met with cautious optimism by the NSW Touch Association.
With the senior version of the NSW State Cup to run from December 2-4, NSWTA general manager Dean Russell believes the resolution "sends a hopeful message" the three-day carnival can stay in the region.
Port Macquarie has been the home of the touch football tournament for more than three decades.
"I would think that it sends a hopeful message," Mr Russell said.
"If council are going to purchase back the property - and given that it [would be] a council asset - they would be willing to put some money into the drainage.
"That's for the benefit of the local and sporting community up there and not just for our event, because it's a venue that is used widely by the community."
The 2022 event in Port Macquarie will be the last of a three-year tender before other destinations around the state such as Coffs Harbour, Tamworth, Wollongong and Wagga Wagga can bid to host the event.
Mr Russell confirmed other venues from around the state have enquired as to what NSW Touch is looking for when it comes to a location for the 2023-2025 senior events.
He felt the decision by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to purchase the land however, would result in minimal change to the overall outcome of any future decision.
"Council have managed the facility, but we've always kept strong links with the council, the church and the local touch community," he said.
It remains to be seen how much of an impact three years of weather interruptions will have had when the location of the 2023 State Cup is decided.
The 2023 NSW Junior State Cup northern conference event was taken from Port Macquarie and handed to Dubbo as a result of drainage concerns relating to the Tuffins Lane precinct in August.
The NSWTA general manager, however, acknowledged the Big Wet in 2021 and into 2022 was across the entire eastern seaboard of Australia.
"It was disappointing we weren't able to get the (senior) State Cup off for the first time in its history (in 2021), but it wasn't like there was a big, black cloud hanging over just Port Macquarie," he said.
"[But] there has certainly been some challenges where other facilities - like Tuggerah - we were able to run our junior regional event because of the money council had spent on drainage there."
More than 200 teams have been entered for the 2022 event which will include a sprinkling of international flavour.
A handful of players from Scotland, Singapore and England will make the trip along with two referees from Japan.
Mr Russell also confirmed an English team had enquired about fielding a team next year in the lead-up to the 2024 Touch Football World Cup.
Just where they will be heading will be known in the next couple of months.
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