Camden Haven Redbacks are about the only club happy to see the collapse of the Coastal Premier League.
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For the last three years the Redbacks have unsuccessfully requested to play a higher level of football as they dominated the men's northern league competition.
They applied to join the CPL in 2022, but their request was denied.
The new Zone Premier League in 2023 will provide the Camden Haven club with what they have cried out for - a challenge.
They're likely to find the going a bit tougher when they face former CPL clubs such as Port United, Macleay Valley and Port Saints.
Redbacks captain Riley Papas is content to sacrifice regular 10-0 wins for a loss or two along the way.
"If we're playing in a quality competition and only sitting sixth, seventh or eighth... we're okay with that," he said.
"It means we can strive to be better. For the last few years it feels like we've hit the ceiling and haven't improved because there's been no pathway."
Papas says the Redbacks have "been banging on the door" for years and are looking forward to the challenge of the ZPL.
He also acknowledged other clubs didn't share the same sentiment, but that was understandable.
The Camden Haven captain also threw his support behind an additional tournament during the season where the best teams from the Mid North Coast zone could play the best from North Coast Football.
"A solution could be a separate cup competition where the top three or four teams from the ZPL and the Coffs Harbour region play for a CPL crown," he said.
"That would increase the quality of football for both zones and then the regions as a whole. You're only going to get better by playing quality opposition."
The Zone Premier League will allow for more quality teams where it will create a pathway for clubs such as those in not only Laurieton and Camden Haven, but Port Macquarie, Forster or Kempsey.
"I think you're going to have a good, strong 10-team competition," Papas said.
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