The 2020 men's Premier League Hockey season has been cancelled

It was confirmed at a meeting on Tuesday night that Lithgow Panthers, Lithgow Zig Zag and Parkes - all clubs who looked likely to contest a 2020 premiership before the coronavirus pandemic struck - would not be competing.

That left last season's premiers St Pat's and runners-up Orange Wanderers as the only two clubs intending to participate. It was not enough to continue on a competition which began in 1997.

"When we went into the meeting we knew Panthers and Zig Zag had gone, Parkes we believed were still in it, but they couldn't log into our meeting," Premier League Hockey secretary Michelle Stevenson explained.

"We left the meeting moving forward with three teams and ideas on how we'd try and get a fourth team or how we'd move forward with three teams. But then we got notification after the meeting that Parkes was withdrawing.

"It's very disappointing, so we're just saying the men are in a hiatus for 2020 and we hope that they're all back in 2021."

Lithgow Panthers captain Nic Milne said a team discussion resulted in the decision to not take part, due to the 2020 competition being shortened.

"It gives us time to have a break and play in the local comp for a bit of fun.

"We will also take the time to develop the young guns coming through and give them some experience to get them ready for 2021," he said.

He said it was a little disappointing but being a short season he was happy to have a break.

"Panthers will return in 2021 if the premier league comp gets up and running again," he said.

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There was a time when the men's Premier League Hockey competition, formerly known as Western Premier League, was fiercely contested by a healthy number clubs from right across the region.

Bathurst has at times fielded three men's teams, firstly Souths, St Pat's and Kelso, then in 2015-16, Souths, St Pat's and Bathurst City.

Dubbo at one stage had two sides - Strikers and City - as did Lithgow with Panthers and Zig Zag.

Orange has been represented over the years by Bloomfield, Confederates and CYMS before dropping to just one side in the form of Wanderers.

When the league began Parkes was represented by Rovers and Magpies, while there were also seasons when the Magpies and Redbacks represented the town.

However, in recent seasons the numbers in the men's league dwindled.

In 2018 just five teams competed - Souths, St Pat's, Lithgow Panthers, Lithgow Zig Zag and Orange Wanderers - and last season that number dropped to four.

While Parkes made a return in the form of Parkes United, both Souths and Zig Zag withdrew.

Stevenson stressed the importance of teams continuing in their local competitions if men's Premier League Hockey is to be resurrected next season.

"The numbers have upped and downed over the years, we lost Dubbo and then they came back in. It's always been who's doing what with the men every year, but they've always had a competition," Stevenson said.

"So this is pretty disappointing, it wasn't nice.

"I'm hoping that all the men are supporting their associations, continuing on with hockey and feeding their juniors through because if they don't do that this year, they're going to struggle again next year."

It is better news for women's Premier League Hockey competition, which is planned to go ahead this season should the restrictions implemented due to the coronavirus continue to ease.

They will play eight rounds of hockey plus a full finals series, with July 18 the target start date.

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