General News
5 July, 2023
Bring it home: Loddon's junior future
JUNIOR football could return to Loddon Valley league management next season. League president Simon Tuohey said no decision had been made to abandon the fledgling AFL Central Victoria under 18 competition. “But the talk around clubs is that we...
JUNIOR football could return to Loddon Valley league management next season.
League president Simon Tuohey said no decision had been made to abandon the fledgling AFL Central Victoria under 18 competition.
“But the talk around clubs is that we could be taking back the under 18 competition for 2024,” Tuohey said.
Informal talks in local clubs have gained traction since Marong and Maiden Gully launched their second bid in 12 months to switch to the Heathcote league.
And tonight, Pyramid Hill will hold a special meeting “to discuss the potential implications of these decisions for our club and the league”.
“During this meeting, we will thoroughly consider the advantages and disadvantages of Marong and/or Maiden Gully choosing to either stay or leave,” president Bruce Moon told members.
AFL Central Victoria general manager Craig Armstead said there had been preliminary discussions on the five-team junior competition’s future. “A decision on whether AFL Central Victoria operate a male under 18 competition in 2024 will not occur until after the Loddon Valley board decide if they will operate a male under 18 competition,” he said.
“There are no required timeframes within the rules for these decisions, with it being more important to advise and support the clubs.”
Marong and Maiden Gully have again cited junior pathways as a key ground for wanting to walk from the Loddon Valley league.
Clubs last year agreed to hand the local under 18 competition to AFL Central Victoria that had plans to establish a league with teams from across central and northern Victoria. Only five Loddon Valley clubs signed up and Maiden Gully has not fielded an under 18 side for a second year.
Tuohey last week told AFL commissioners: “I think that the league has shown they are open and willing to change as they have done in the past.”
“When will the commission get some teeth in the game and be proactive rather than reactive for the sake of all our local communities that rely on that participation and social interaction, not just success,” he said.
AFL Central Victoria is coming under pressure to address the medium-term structure of football across the region as leagues and clubs grow frustrated with what risks becoming an annual bid by Marong and Maiden Gully to jump leagues.
Several seasoned Loddon Valley observers believe the commission should lead a restructure that creates eight or 10-team leagues.
They are frustrated that under new rules, the clubs could apply every year to switch leagues, destabalising sport in country areas.
Heathcote league already has nine clubs with three - Marong, Maiden Gully and Cohuna - at varying stages in wanting to join.
While not within AFL Central Victoria, Maryborough Castlemaine league has 16 clubs stretching from Navarre on the edge of the Wimmera to the now peri-urban Melbourne satellite town of Trentham. Maryborough-based clubs Royal Park and Rovers will merge after this season.
The league also includes Maldon and Dunolly, previously part of Bendigo or Loddon Valley competitions.
Armstead said AFL Central Victoria commission regularly discussed the medium and long-term future of football and netball “across our region which includes competition structures”.
There have been multiple reviews on football structure, the last in 2018 on third tier (junior) competition.
Among proposals were:
Develop a method to facilitate the movement of players not required by clubs;
Develop a system for clubs who have excess players to assist transition to a new club and keep players playing football;
Develop a system to assist players who are in excess to their clubs’ requirements to find a club who requires additional players prior to the season and develop a system to assist players who have not been provided a game at their current club to find a club who requires additional players during the season.
Maiden Gully has indicated it would seek exceptional circumstances for consideration of its league switch bid.
But Armstead said: “Under the revised AFL Victoria country rules for 2023 clubs cannot apply for exceptional circumstances, only leagues. Therefore, AFL Central Victoria have not granted any exceptions to Maiden Gully YCW nor any other clubs.”
Formal league transfer applications can be lodged from August 1.
Pyramid Hill, who reformed its junior football side this season after a three-year break and competes against Marong, Bridgewater, Inglewood and East Loddon, said tonight’s special meeting was to have the club ready to make a quick decision on changes if needed.
“We know football and netball clubs play an important role in rural communities, and decisions made can have far-reaching effects beyond the club itself,”
Moon said. “Your input and active participation play a vital role in shaping the future direction of our club and the decisions made by representatives on its behalf. We are committed to ensuring that all perspectives are heard.”