AFL Goldfields backs RDFL after Sunbury Kangaroos votes to join EDFL

AFL Goldfields has backed the Riddell District Football League’s future after a second club in four years voted to switch competitions.

AFL Goldfields has backed the Riddell District Football League’s future after a second club in four years voted to switch competitions.

Sunbury Kangaroos voted emphatically to cross to the Essendon District league on Monday, three years after Kilmore moved to the Northern league.

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RDFL clubs will vote next week on whether to approve Sunbury Kangaroos’ switch, which also needs the green light from AFL Victoria.

Should the transfer be granted, it would leave the RDFL with 11 clubs in 2019.

But AFL Goldfields boss Rod Ward said he was confident the RDFL would be “sustainable” in the “long-term”.

“We believe in years to come that the RDFL will grow,” Ward said.

“You have got two junior clubs that we expect to evolve into senior clubs, Eynesbury and Gisborne Giants, and we know there is interest from other clubs in potentially joining the league.”

Ward conceded the disparity between the RDFL’s premiership contenders and battlers was an issue which needed to be addressed.

Sunbury Kangaroos clash with Macedon in the RDFL this year. Picture: Andy Brownbill

More than 40 per cent of matches were decided by 100 points or more this year.

“Our greatest challenge will be using the equalisation measures available to us to address the disparity between the stronger clubs and the clubs that have struggled on-field the last couple of years,” he said.

Ward said the RDFL’s overall competitiveness was a “real priority”.

“The sustainability program has been around now for three years and we think it’s starting to take effect,” he said.

“We are all learning things from it. We’ve got a commission meeting coming up next week when we are looking at a few other adjustments for next year.”

Sunbury Kangaroos are set to become the EDFL’s second Sunbury-based club, joining East Sunbury in Division 2 next year.

Diggers Rest and Riddell clash in this year’s RDFL grand final. Picture: Aaron Cook

Ward said AFL Goldfields had expressed concern to AFL Victoria about metropolitan leagues moving their boundaries further north.

“There’s only so much we can do. Ultimately, if we oppose clearances, the clubs can then appeal to AFL Vic,” he said.

“We have made AFL Vic aware of our concerns and it is something we will be keeping an eye on.”

He said the RDFL would continue to have four senior netball competitions, an issue raised by Sunbury Kangaroos which prompted its move.

“We are a committed football netball league and we place an equal emphasis on our netball competition as we do on football,” he said.

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