NULLAWIL Football Netball Club will be playing in the North Central Football League (NCFL) next season – providing they get the final green light from AFL Central Victoria.
The Maroons are now in the final stage of the process, having been granted permission to leave the Golden Rivers Football Netball League by that league’s board at their most recent meeting.
It was a move more than 12 months in the making, following last year’s failed attempt to shift competitions.
Central Rivers board chairman Ross Stanton told The Guardian this week the decision now lay with the sport’s regional body – with their decision expected to ratify the move as early as this week.
“At this stage, Nullawil have again applied to AFL Central Victoria to move to the (NCFL) – they were given permission to apply and that’s what they’ve done,” Stanton said.
“Their application came back to the (Central Rivers) board, which we sat on until after both finals series were played – but that’s now been approved by the board in line with what the remaining six Golden Rivers clubs informed us they wanted and it’s now been sent back to AFL Central Victoria, who will look at it when they have their next meeting and will make a final decision.”
“I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be approved – I’d suggest they’ll look at it and approve it.”
“They (Nullawil) went to a lot of effort to ensure a lot of boxes were ticked before they sought approval from higher up to allow them to move and re-apply.
“I think now that the remaining clubs and the board have all said yes to them leaving, I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be approved.”
While the decision has not yet been formally given the seal of approval, Central Rivers and its six remaining clubs – Hay, Macorna, Moulamein, Murrabit, Ultima and Wandella – are already planning on what the future looks like without the Maroons.
“We are planning on a six-team competition for next season – I think the remaining clubs can go out now and move on with some certainty as to what will happen going forward,” Stanton said.
“They can go out and recruit players and bring them into their clubs knowing that they’ll be a chance of success, without the spectre of Nullawil hanging over them.
“I would imagine there’d be six clubs sitting there – once this becomes official – thinking you know what, we’re not that far off winning a premiership next year.”
“So competitive wise, I think a six-team competition will be good – I think all teams will enter every game thinking they’re a chance of winning and while there’s no doubt that when there’s an even competition and when every side thinks they are a chance of winning, then their spectators get involved and it’s a much more enjoyable day at the footy.”
While there are some positives in Nullawil, who have won the last three senior football premierships across the last five years, moving to the NCFL, there are also many risks – with the competition now vulnerable with only six clubs remaining and on the back of the Quambatook Football Netball Club folding at the end of this season.
It’s a position acknowledged by Stanton – and although there is inherent risk in a six-team league, the league chairman was also quick to point out that it’s still a sustainable format going forward.
“There’s no doubt it creates a risk for the remaining six clubs and how long that’s sustainable is anybody’s guess – but if the six teams are there for the next 10 years and all are in it for the long haul, then the Golden Rivers is more than sustainable going forward,” Stanton said.
“They are putting the feelers out to other clubs currently to see if any of them want to join and we’ll see what happens in that space.”
“The Golden Rivers has its own unique atmosphere – it’s more family orientated I feel than some of the other competitions and its easier for smaller clubs with less finance to compete than what it does in the Central Murray and other surrounding leagues.”
“It is definitely sustainable in the short to medium term and as long as the six remaining clubs are happy and bullish about it’s and their futures, then it will continue long into the future.”
