Major changes are on the way for Grade 1 pennants in 2015 with a shake-up of the competition structure to affect Illawarra Zone 16 the following year.
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Next year the Grade 1 pennant competition within Sydney Metropolitan will be played between five existing zones with 20 clubs split into two sections.
While Illawarra and South Coast clubs are unaffected in 2015, there is uncertainly about what the structure will be in 2016.
Recently released by Bowls NSW, the 2015 Metropolitan Grade 1 pennants competition featured 10 teams in two sections with every club to play their section rivals once.
Bowls NSW have told clubs that in 2016 all NSW Grade 1 clubs will be placed into five conferences with Illawarra almost certain to be a part of a new South Coast conference.
There was some early discussion linking Illawarra Zone 16 with a Sydney-based conference but it is more likely this region will be listed within a South Coast sphere.
The structure of a South Coast conference is far from settled but it is possible existing South Coast clubs Nowra, Bomaderry, Lake Conjola and Milton Ulladulla could join Illawarra Grade 1 in a new comp from 2016.
Such a radical proposal could leave some current Illawarra Grade 1 teams effectively relegated from the top grade, as Bowls NSW looks to strengthen the elite grade.
Already there has been a push from some Illawarra clubs for the region's 10-team Grade 1 competition to be cut to just six with a belief there isn't enough depth to justify 10 teams.
Warilla have won five of the past seven Zone 16 Grade 1 titles and have faced Dapto Citizens in the last seven straight grand finals.
Everyone in Illawarra bowls acknowledges having Warilla totally dominate the highest grade of competition is not good for the sport and there needs to be more clubs who are major Grade 1 pennant contenders.
Warilla have been seriously trying to win the state Grade 1 pennant flag for a decade but have come up short.
One theory as to why Warilla can't win the biggest crown in club bowls is that they aren't adequately prepared for the State Finals because they don't face enough tough competition in the weekly pennant competition.
But finding the best model for a new Grade 1 competition across NSW won't be easy with discussion to continue well into 2015.
