Wollongong Wolves submit final National Second Tier proposal

The Mercury understands that the Wolves submitted their final proposal to Football Australia to be considered to enter the new competition.

The Wolves passed to the 'request for proposal' phase - along with 26 other teams - back in May.

Football Australia announced the conclusion of phase two, the 'request for proposal' (RFP) phase of the NST appplication process on Tuesday morning (August 29).

"We've taken significant strides towards establishing a robust framework for the National Second Tier. The response and the submissions received are testament to the passion and commitment of the football community to this pivotal initiative," Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

Read more: Illawarra Premier League team of the season: who makes the cut?

The 'assessment and review' phase will now commence. Each submitted proposal will undergo a rigorous evaluation to ensure its completeness and alignment with the set criteria and requirements.

Should sufficient proposals be deemed suitable, this phase will be succeeded by the 'completion' phase, marking the end of the selection process. Successful teams should be notified in the coming weeks.

Football Australia continues to target a 2024 launch of the NST, aiming to feature a minimum of 10 teams that will compete in a home and away league structure with finals.

However, Football Australia may also explore a phased 'group based' model, where the National Premier Leagues would influence the composition, adopting the 'Champions League' model.

Concluding his statement, Johnson said: "As we advance, our commitment is to the future of Australian football. Whether we finalise on the conventional league structure or adopt the 'Champions League' model, our vision remains clear - to elevate the stature of football in Australia."

The 'National Second Tier' has been in the works since 2017 and will act as the league below the top flight - the A-League.

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