Two Goulburn Valley League clubs have made the decision to pull the plug on fielding teams in junior competitions on the eve of the 2023 season.
Tatura will not field an under-18 football side, while Benalla will not enter a team in the 15-and-under netball grade.
The league made the announcement on Friday afternoon.
In a brief statement, the league said it would not alter the fixture and that any team due to play those two sides would now face a bye and those games would be treated as forfeits by Benalla and Tatura.
“AFL Goulburn Murray, the GVL and Netball Victoria will work with both clubs over the season with the hope that both teams will be part of the competition in season 2024,” a league statement read.
“We thank both clubs for their continued efforts and look forward to supporting them, as well as all our clubs, through season 2023.”
Rochester’s under-18 team will this year be coached by Todd Woodfine after winning just three games last season. Several of the club’s under-16 players regularly played two games a weekend in 2022.
Meanwhile, AFL Goulburn Murray has revealed a host of staff updates.
Jo Spencer has accepted the newly-created role of AFLGM head of operations.
Spencer has spent the past three seasons as GVL operations manager.
With Spencer’s shift in position at AFLGM, the GVL operations manager position has been filled by Kyle Povah.
Povah, who will begin his role on April 3, joins AFLGM from his current role at Red Onion Creative, where he has worked as a business development manager.