General News
24 August, 2023
More off-field drama for Panthers - Heathcote says no to bids
MARONG and Maiden Gully have failed in their bids to join the Heathcote Football Netball League. Heathcote clubs on Wednesday night voted to keep its league at the existing nine clubs and AFL Central Victoria says that without Heathcote acceptance...
MARONG and Maiden Gully have failed in their bids to join the Heathcote Football Netball League.
Heathcote clubs on Wednesday night voted to keep its league at the existing nine clubs and AFL Central Victoria says that without Heathcote acceptance, there is no mechanism for the Loddon Valley duo to change in 2024 - news broken online this morning by the Loddon Herald
It's the second off-field drama for reigning premiers Marong this week. Ahead of the Panthers' second semi-final clash against Pyramid Hill on Saturday, there has also been controversy about the club appearing in promotional videos for online gambling giant Ladbrokes.
This week's Loddon Herald has the exclusive story on gambling videos that have been cleared under both AFL and City of Greater Bendigo policies.
Heathcote president Peter Cole this morning announced the decision of clubs on Wednesday night on bids by Marong, Maiden Gully and Cohuna to join the league. It's the second year Maiden Gully has tried to make the move, last year being accepted only to have a Loddon Valley league appeal upheld by AFL Central Victoria.
In a statement, Heathcote league president Peter Cole said
At a constitutional meeting last night, a vote was held in relation to the submission of three clubs, Marong, MaidenGully YCW and Cohuna, seeking acceptance into the HDFNL. The outcome was the majority of clubs voting that theHDFNL remain the same in season 2024.
This will now put the final decision in the hands of the AFL CV Commission and the HDFNL will accept any decisionthe AFL Commission makes in relation to the three clubs who have made submissions to enter the League, as wasthe case in 2022.
Several clubs cited their decision was based on club members wanting to stay together and continue building theirclubs and junior pathways. Clubs also expressed concern around a two-tiered competition and uncertainty in thefuture of League structures within the AFL Commission’s region as influential in their vote to remain the same.
HDFNL Board Chair, Peter Cole, said the future of Marong, Maiden Gully and Cohuna now rests in the hands of theAFL Commission – as it did last year when HDFNL voted to accept two of the three clubs.
“We voted to accept Maiden Gully last year and that decision was overturned,” he said.“Yes, the majority vote was for our League to stay the same in 2024, but ultimately the Commission will make the
final call.If the Commission decides to move these clubs into our League, we will make it work as best we can.”
AFL Central Victoria general manager Craig Armstead said
Following a media release from the Heathcote District Football Netball League (HDFNL) earlier today with regards to applications by three AFL Central Vic based clubs to join the HDFNL for the 2024
season, AFL Central Vic contacted AFL Victoria to confirm the rules and regulations.
The AFL Central Vic Commission does not have a role to play until the HDFNL confirms theirintention to accept a club, or clubs. The details contained in the HDFNL Media Release today are not
consistent with the process defined in the relevant AFL Victoria Regulations detailed below:
Under AFL Victoria Community Affiliate Regulations,4.3
b) A Destination Affiliate (HDFNL) intending to accept the transfer of an existing or amalgamatedclub from another Affiliate shall notify AFL Victoria (in these cases the role is delegated to AFL Central
Vic given the club transfers are all within our Region*) of its intention to accept such a transfer inwriting, not before 1st August and by no later than 5.00pm on 31st October.*Section 4.1 delegates the role to relevant Region where the club transfers are within a Region.
For the sake of clarification, the Commission has no authority to unilaterally transfer a club from one
league to another league.