AFL Hunter Central Coast (HCC) organisers plan to bring grand finals back to Newcastle's No.1 Sportsground next year but the code's flagship local event will again be held elsewhere in 2022.
The redeveloped venue was the top option for Saturday's Aussie rules deciders, having last played there in 2019, but it wasn't locked in despite now being open for business.
Concerns around the freshly-laid turf, pending wet weather and avoiding any late change for the title showdowns saw the AFL HCC board allocate all five fixtures on the Central Coast.
"Given the weather and the new growth of the turf, there's been that much change this year we didn't want to deal with a last-minute grand final change," AFL HCC competition coordinator Lauren Francis said.
"We just wanted a guarantee that wherever we were were going was going to be guaranteed [not called off].
"This time next year it'll be no issue. There would have been 12 months of growth, a summer of cricket on there and a winter of footy. We'll be back to how we normally have it."
Newcastle council provided a response on Wednesday with the city's cricketers now likely to get first crack at the upgraded facility in just a few weeks' time.
"Stage one of the project is complete and the ground is ready to be used for sporting fixtures," a City of Newcastle spokesperson said.
"The decision not to hold the AFL Hunter Central Coast grand final at No.1 Sportsground on September 17 and move it to the Central Coast was made by the AFL board several weeks ago.
"The newly redeveloped No.1 Sportsground will welcome cricketers back to the pitch in October for the 2022-23 summer season."
The AFL Hunter Central Coast presentation was held at Belmont 16s on Wednesday night with Killarney Vale's Tim Ossterhoff and Cardiff's Danika Spamer named Black Diamond Cup best and fairest award winners for their respective men's and women's competitions.
Bombers ruckman Oosterhoff kicked a league-high 96 goals during the regular rounds and adds to the Elliott Davey Medal he first collected in 2018.
Hawks rover Spamer also claimed the season MVP for a second time, following a clean sweep of the prizes at the end of her rookie campaign in 2020.
Newcastle City were crowned club champions.
Meanwhile, AFL Hunter Central Coast are poised to welcome Sam Cunningham on board as the new competition manager following the recent departure of Matt Harris.
