Grading Changes for 2025/26 Open Pennant Competition

by tbreuer – BowlsNSW

As we prepare for the upcoming 2025/26 season, set to commence from 1 July, 2025, the State Match Committee has been diligently working on the updated Conditions of Play (CoP). The finalised document will be published online next week, accompanied by a summary of all key changes. 

One significant change to be introduced next season involves player selection and grading within the Open Pennant competition. Under the new rules, players will have greater flexibility in their selection across different grades, with a few key conditions: 

• During the sectional rounds of the 2025/26 Open Pennant competition, players may be selected in any grade in which their Club participates, with the exception of those who have won a Region or State Pennant in the current 2024/25 season. 
• Players who compete in more than 50% of total available sectional matches (across all grades) will be graded at the end of sectional play based on the grade in which they played the most matches. 
• Players who do not meet the 50% threshold will retain their previous season’s grading. 
• Bowls NSW will continue updating individual player gradings on Bowlslink at the conclusion of the season to determine eligibility for Open Reserve Championships. 

The below video provides an overview of the changes to Open Pennant gradings as well as the process that clubs will undertake to nominate and select pennant sides for the 2025/26 Open Pennant competition: