THE possible retirement of Liberal Alby Schultz at the next federal election would create a stoush between the Nationals and Liberals.

It would also create interesting debate in the ranks of the NSW Nationals.

Some Coalition sources say Nationals-hater Schultz will retire at the 2013 election if he was guaranteed the Nationals would not challenge for his seat of Hume.

But Nationals say the chances of them allowing the Liberals to take Hume basically uncontested are as good as Peter Slipper's chances of being invited to the Liberals' Christmas drinks.

Or, as one National said, "Pig's a---."

Schultz took Hume from the Nationals at the 1998 election after sitting member John Sharp resigned. Schultz's resignation from NSW Parliament created a three-cornered contest for Burrinjuck, which Schultz's wife, Gloria, lost to National Katrina Hodgkinson, now NSW Agriculture Minister.

The Nationals want Hume for several reasons: they see it as their territory, they want to grow their brand and they hate Schultz.

Especially after Schultz's overseeing role in the "dirty" three-cornered contest for Riverina at last year's federal election, won by Nationals MP Michael McCormack.

If popular NSW Nationals senator Fiona Nash were persuaded to run for Hume, she would be very tough to beat. But the Liberals are not completely without bargaining power.

The Nationals want to take Labor-held Page and Richmond in northern NSW as well as independent-held Lynne and New England at the 2013 election.

The Liberals may offer to not contest some of those seats to keep the Nationals away from Hume. And while Nationals MPs want Hume, they don't make decisions on candidates and which seats to contest - party headquarters does.

The deciding factor is likely to be whether the NSW state branch has enough money to contest all those seats. The Nationals could spend more money, time and resources on other campaigns if they do not contest Hume.

Yet the Nationals have not forgotten they passed up a once-in-a-generation chance to contest Wannon in western Victoria last year because the state branch wanted to save for the looming Victorian election.

The chance to take Hume won't come around often.