Quambatook Football Netball Club to disband at the end of 2022 season
A country town in northern Victoria is reeling after its football club announced 2022 would be its last season.
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A small town in northern Victoria has been left with a “hole in its heart” after Quambatook Football Club announced it would fold at the end of this year.
The club, 60km south of Swan Hill, said it had been struggled to field numbers for years and the decision was not made lightly.
Club president Rhys Carmichael said players were “devastated” by the news but it was not surprising.
“We have been struggling for a numbers of years with lack of juniors and volunteers, and the increasing workload to put teams out on the field each week became too great,” he said.
“The club meant the world to those involved and it will leave a massive hole in the hearts of many and the small community of Quambatook.”
In a statement, the club warned there would be “significant social ramifications to the social fabric of the township” when the club disbands.
“The decision to dissolve QFNC has not been made lightly and has been a culmination of a series of attempts to replenish member numbers,” the statement, posted to social media, read.
“Despite overwhelming efforts to recruit families from near and far, unfortunately these attempts have been unsuccessful.”
The news comes after the Herald Sun revealed approximately 5000 players from suburban and regional Victoria had walked away from football since 2019.
Two Melbourne clubs, Broadford and Yea football clubs, were forced to merge earlier this year.
Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said it would have a devastating impact on the small country town.
“Football clubs form the social fabric of a community,” he said.
“One you lose that, it puts serious pressure on the community.”
Mr Walsh said football clubs in country towns had been struggling since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The town’s school also closed at the end of 2017 which meant some families left the region which had impacted the club.
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