While footy season is still a few months away changes are afoot in the Western Plains, starting with a new format for the women's game.

As part of the eventual transition to full contact rugby union, the format known as 'Tri-tag' will be introduced in 2024 as a way to build rugby skills such as lineouts, scrums, and rucks without the contact.

Created as a middle-ground of sorts, 'Tri-tag' was invented by former professional rugby union player Mark Gasnier as a way to build rugby specific skills in a safer environment.

Their website states that "we believe there needs to be a game that allows participants to choose when and if they play contact rugby, without missing out on the appropriate knowledge and skill development should they eventually do so."

The Western Plains committee had identified tri-tag as a potential option at their 2 December meeting where it was voted on as the new game for 2024.

In a competition where clubs generally only field one grade each week - exceptions last season being Coonamble and Walgett - the committee recognised that the jump to contact rugby could have had negative impacts on the clubs and the competition.

Coonamble Rams coach Josh Wrench says that the clubs weren't in a position to convert the competition to tackle just yet.

"The competition will eventually be tackle, but the benefits that player participation has had for the clubs has been too good to jump to tackle straight away," said Mr Wrench.

"The majority of our players were supportive of the move to tri-tag."

The game is expected to be played by ten players on each team and on a full field, with players wearing three oz tag style tags on their waist - hence the 'tri'.

Two will be positioned on the sides of the player, and one on the back.

An attacking player can only be stopped if a defender rips the side tags.

When the player is stopped by a defender a teammate must 'clean out the ruck' by ripping the back tag off the player, only then can the game continue.

The game features an unlimited substitution system, and players get seven 'phases' or tags before they have to hand the ball over.

More details about team numbers and other rules are expected to come as we get closer to the 2024 season.