EFL: Berwick president outlines why his club sought a move into the EFL
It has landed in the EFL to become the league’s 46th senior club. Here’s why Berwick president Glenn Gambetta says “the time is right” for his club to be making the move...
AFL Outer-East
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL Outer-East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Berwick president Glenn Gambetta says “the time is right” for his club to be making the move into the EFL from season 2021.
The league welcomed the ‘Wickers’ on Monday as its 46th senior club, following a majority vote at the EFL annual general meeting last December. The club will compete in Premier Division, making the league’s top tier an 11-team competition.
While the coronavirus crisis had somewhat slowed the club’s transfer from AFL Outer East, Gambetta said his club was thrilled with the end result.
“It’s very exciting, taken a little while to get there obviously not through any fault of anybody’s other than the fact that we’re in a pretty unique, unprecedented period in our lives,” he said.
“It (coronavirus) slowed things up a bit, we couldn’t obviously meet with Outer East but we got to where we wanted to get to in the end, so we’re very, very happy.
“We’re looking forward to working with the Eastern footy league, they were fantastic in working with us and helping us get across the line.”
Berwick had previously competed in the South East Football Netball League (SEFNL) before the league merged with AFL Yarra Ranges at the end of 2018 to form the AFL Outer East competition.
But Gambetta said his club began exploring its options long before its move into the AFL Outer East.
“It probably started three or four years ago when we knew that the SEFNL at the time probably had a limited lifespan,” he said.
“We spoke to a couple of different leagues, including the Mornington Peninsula.
“We had to look at our options a while ago, and when Mornington Peninsula was off the table and we followed the rest of the clubs to the Outer East … it was decided that the Eastern Football League was the best fit.”
Led by premiership coach Clint Evans, Berwick is set to field a young side complemented by experience next season, with multiple best and fairest winner Madison Andrews, former Hawthorn midfielder and West Adelaide star Travis Tuck, and former Berwick junior and West Coast Eagle, Ash Smith.
An eye on the future for developing and retaining its youth proved to be the selling point for the club’s move east, with the appeal of the EFL’s top-flight.
“We’ve actually got a pretty young list, a few of the older guys have given it away,” Gambetta said.
“One of the reasons for wanting to go to the EFL was to assure those kids stayed around, and didn’t try and look for greener pastures and better footy.
“In 2021, they want to play the best footy they can and we want to give them that opportunity.”
But Gambetta said the move would provide its challenges, with the EFL’s Premier Division regarded as one of the best in Victorian local footy.
The club is optimistic it can mix it with the EFL’s elite following two premierships in the past five years and a grand final appearance last season.
“It’s (the challenge of Premier Division) certainly not a fact that’s lost on us,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it was probably a little bit daunting when we knew we were going to Premier, but I think we’re more excited by the fact that we’ve set a challenge for the club and it’s got a real buzz in the place, among our sponsors and our supporters.
“It’s a great opportunity and they’re very lucky to be given the opportunity to go straight in there, but it’s not a fact that’s lost on the club or stakeholders.
“I think the time is right. Every club goes through a cycle, and we’re probably at the top of our cycle.
“While we’re there, let’s take the opportunity to try and get into the best football competition there is outside of the VFL. We know it’s going to be a challenge.”