General News
25 June, 2025
CARD SHUFFLE
By CHRIS EARL Pressure on AFL to dig deeper than two leagues AFL Victoria is under pressure for leadership on the future strategic structure of football in country Victoria. Calls have intensified from deflated clubs after a “micro region”...
By CHRIS EARL
Pressure on AFLto dig deeperthan two leagues
AFL Victoria is under pressure for leadership on the future strategic structure of football in country Victoria.
Calls have intensified from deflated clubs after a “micro region” review last week recommended shutting the Golden Rivers in September.
Clubs now scrambling for new homes could be met with jumping performance and sustainability criteria if joining a proposed 17-team Central Murray league.
Adjoining leagues fear they will be left to watch a pack of cards fall to the ground and be forced to make quick decisions for the 2026 season.
At least two Golden Rivers clubs could move south into the Loddon Valley league that was not consulted during the AFL Central Victoria-sanctioned Northern Futures review.
Concerns about the lack of a longer-term and broader strategy for country Victoria have been dismissed by AFL Victoria community football manager John O’Donoghue.
Asked on Monday whether AFL Victoria had plans for more micro reviews or a state-wide look at league structures, O’Donoghue said: “In short, the response to both is no.”
AFL Central Victoria regional council was to have met with leagues and clubs last night.
Loddon Valley chairman Richard Hicks, who had informal talks with Macorna early in the season, said no official approaches had been made by Golden Rivers clubs to join the current nine-team southern league.
“We can’t go chasing clubs ... we have to sit on our hands until they contact us before any wheels can be put in motion,” Hicks said.
“We are open to discussion with all clubs and we will be looking at whatever we can do to strengthen the Loddon Valley league.”
Macorna on Monday confirmed they would be taking the Loddon Valley option to club members within weeks.
Murrabit president Ross Stanton, who had earlier downplayed Loddon Valley as a future home, said it was now a possibility.
“If we try Central Murray, we will probably burn out in two or three years and be down on our knees,” Stanton said.
Stanton said he would rather see changes delayed until the end of 2026, giving time for clubs and leagues to explore all options.
He said Murrabit would struggle in Central Murray for player numbers where there were more football and netball grades contested.
“Everything has to be considered ... we also need to talk with the Picola league.”
Stanton and former Macorna president Jacob McIntosh said the review’s limited scope had missed an opportunity to properly investigate future structures.
“It would have been helpful if there had been some leadership from the (review) panel and AFL Victoria,” Stanton said.
“We wanted to see leadership that would have taken a long-term view.”
McIntosh said the Northern Rivers review could have had more depth.
He said Macorna would struggle to be viable in Central Murray and was learning towards Loddon Valley as its new home.
Wandella, that had been touted as a third Golden Rivers club likely to eye Loddon Valley, could make the jump to Central Murray. President Leigh Hollingworth said there had been no “earth-shattering recommendations in the review”.
“We need the next piece of the puzzle - Ultima applying to join Central Murray. Then that forces the hand.”
Hicks said: ”There are lots of things up in the air and no one knows where the cards will fall. We need a broader review to see how all clubs are tracking.”
“If you take out Auskick and women’s football (participation) stats, there’s a massive hole at grassroots. Let’s put all the cards in the air and see where they fall, being proactive instead of reactive,” he said.
Hicks believes there will be changes in the Loddon Valley league structure. “Most clubs have three and five-year plans, so why not the rest of us?”
“To survive we have to expand. We’re sound in the short term but ...”
Hicks’ assessment comes as the Bendigo league continues talks with Loddon Valley club Maiden Gully.
President Carol McKinstry said: “We met with Maiden Gully six weeks ago ... there are no timelines, not sure if (admission) would be 2027 or further ahead but they are still on the radar.”
McKinstry said there were no hard and fast key performance indicators. “We are looking more at potential and aspirations of clubs looking to jump from a district league to a major league.”