Balaklava Football Club investigates move to North Eastern Football League

An SA country footy club could switch leagues in 2021 after almost a century in the same competition as it investigates a move further north.

Action from a match between Balaklava and Mallala in 2017. The Peckers are considering switching leagues in 2021. Picture: Tom Huntley

A country football club is looking at a potential move to a league further north for next season.

Balaklava, which has lined up in the Adelaide Plains Football League since 1940, is investigating moving into the North Eastern Football League in 2021.

The Peckers decided against fielding a team in the shortened Adelaide Plains league this season due COVID-19.

Balaklava Football Club in action against United during an Adelaide Plains Football League match in 2019. Picture: Ethan Allen

But president Daniel Butterfield said the club would have enough players for an A grade men’s team in 2021 and was looking at switching leagues.

“Our members have just been interested in the look of it, going across to somewhere a bit further away from Adelaide,” Butterfield said.

“It’s just a bit of a change after the year of playing.

“People just looked elsewhere and saw other things.

“There’s nothing in particular that has brought this on.

“We are obviously a country club, so everyone is very close knit and everyone gets involved so we want everyone who is involved to have their say.”

The Peckers finished top of the Adelaide Plains ladder in 2019 but bowed out of the major round after losing the preliminary final to Hummocks Watchman Eagles.

Their last flag was won in 2011.

Balaklava will need 80 per cent of its members to agree to the move before making a formal application to the North Eastern Football League.

Their request will then also need to be investigated and then signed off by the SANFL Community Football and agreed upon by the Adelaide Plains Football League and the North Eastern Football League.

Balaklava footballers in action against Mallala in 2017. Picture: Tom Huntley

Butterfield expected members to make a decision on whether to formally apply to switch leagues next week.

North Eastern president Peter Meyer said he would welcome adding Balaklava as it would create a nine-team league and allow for a bye in 2021.

“We are keen for Balaklava to progress their application to come and play footy in the North Eastern Football League,” Meyer said.

“We all see it as a positive and we are pretty keen to assist in anyway we can.

“We seem to have young families who want to take time to go away with their family and a bye will allow them to do that.”

Adelaide Plains Football League president Michael Vigor, meanwhile, did not wish to make any comment until Balaklava made a decision on if it would request a move.