It seems the Goulburn Murray football and netball scene is on the brink of a major shake-up.
Murray Football Netball League officials met with a number of clubs from across the region on Wednesday, July 12, to discuss plans on forming a new competition under its jurisdiction.
The News understands a total of seven clubs from the Murray league, Kyabram District League and Picola District Football Netball League were in attendance at the information meeting.
Murray league general manager Dale Norman confirmed the meeting was held and ― what many pundits speculate as a “second tier Murray league” ― the intention to form a second competition and create the region’s fifth football and netball league.
“It would be a standalone league with its own identity, but governed by the Murray executive and using the same operation rules. The main aim is to assist with the sustainability of football and netball clubs in the region,” Norman said.
“Eight clubs is the minimum and we would cap it at 12 ... there won’t be promotion and relegation.
“We had a meeting with clubs and it was just an information session, but it was really positive.
“The next step is to gather more information and if we get eight clubs interested we’ll certainly pursue the matter more.”
Norman said the idea of a second league under the eye of the Murray league gathered legs once Tocumwal joined its ranks at the start of the year.
Tocumwal shifted from rival competition Picola District league following a turbulent final year where the Bloods sought AFL Victoria affiliation while the PD severed ties with the governing body.
Tocumwal has struggled since rejoining its former competition and has won one game in both senior footy and A-grade netball.
Norman stressed the Murray league executive was aware of the difficulty of forming a new competition.
“We’re not offering a utopia of rainbows, we know it’s going to be hard, we’re under no illusion of how challenging it will be.
“But for the past five years the Murray league has been dealing with this issue ... go back to the start of the year and we knew it would be a tough slog for Tocumwal, but to Toc’s credit they have really stepped up and embraced the challenge.
“As a league we feel obligated to find them a new home, we need district league clubs playing against district league clubs.
“We know Tocumwal can’t go back to its former league and so it’s the intention of the Murray league executive to form a new league.”
AFL Goulburn Murray regional manager Shaun Connell outlined the process in front of the regional hub’s commission following notification from the Murray league to form a new competition.
“We have received notification from the Murray league about their intentions to create a district competition,” Connell said.
“The AFLGM commission has now requested a written detailed proposal from the Murray league and we’re still awaiting that proposal.”
Picola District league operations manager Shane Railton said he was aware of the Murray league meeting with PD clubs.
Railton believes the Murray league’s intention to form a new league didn’t have “much legs” going forward.
“We understand the Murray league are trying to form a second league, but we’ve got no interest in it,” Railton said.
“I think they are pretty delusional; I don’t think playing in a second division competition is attractive for any club.
“I find his comments about the sole purpose to form this competition is to accommodate one club, being Tocumwal, a very unique response.”
Not since the Benalla and District league folded at the end of 2009 has there been five leagues in the region.
A few years earlier the Central Goulburn league folded in 2005 — a time that Norman says was the last major change in the local football and netball scene.
Norman said it was time to get pro-active on the issues the region faces.
“This isn’t about me it’s about the clubs and it’s not just a quick fix for next year, but it’s a plan for the next 10-15 years,” Norman said.
“This region is well overdue for a shake-up. We haven’t had a major change in this region since 2006 ... we know there are challenges and we know there are gaps in our own competition with Congupna without an under-14s side for the past couple of years.
“We know we’re not immune to the challenges, but we think we can reinvigorate the region and bring fun back to footy ... we want our message to get out there and we want to be aggressive with this because it’s time to get serious about local footy and netball.”
The Kyabram District league was contacted for comment.