Port Kembla are aiming at a return to first grade in the near future after officially being included as part of the Illawarra competition again on Wednesday.
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Country Rugby League had been brought in to resolve a long-running stand-off between the club and Illawarra, after Port Kembla had spent a year on the sidelines.
Port had been "on-loan" in the Group Seven competition, but withdrew last year.
President Ben Fera had been adamant Group Seven was the best way forward, but said there was reason for optimism in the Illawarra league.
"It's been a bit of a battle for a while, about what was going to happen," Fera said.
"We have some concerns about sponsors and about how we're going to compete, we've got a budget.
"We felt Group Seven was the best way forward.
"But hopefully, we can be back in Illawarra first grade soon, with the salary cap in place we want to be competitive."
Coach Dean Gray, who had a decorated career at Albion Park-Oak Flats and helped the Stingrays join the first grade competition in Group Seven, revealed the players had a meeting where they sent him out of the sheds and voted on where there future should lie.
wIllawarra reserve grade, the third grade Shield competition and folding were options on the table.
"I was told all bar one put their hand up to play reserve grade," Gray said.
"We believe it's an incentive to be in reserve grade, if we were in third grade it would be hard to attract players, so there's some belief in the club."
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
