Eastern league welcomes Berwick as competition grows to 46 clubs
The EFL has welcomed its 46th senior club to its ranks for the 2021 season, prompting a change to one of its divisions.
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The Eastern Football League has welcomed a 46th senior club to its ranks.
The league has announced the inclusion of Berwick Football Club, which will compete in the EFL’s Premier Division from the beginning of the 2021 season.
The top tier becomes an 11-team competition for 2021 before returning to 10 teams for 2022.
Berwick crosses from the AFL Outer East competition which it competed in for the 2019 season, after previously playing in the now-defunct South East league.
It will field senior men’s, reserves, under-19s and women’s teams.
The announcement comes after a majority vote from the EFL’s senior clubs at last year’s annual general meeting.
“The league is very excited by the addition of the Berwick Football Club to the League and we wish them all the best in their inaugural season,” the EFL said in a statement.
“Berwick’s home ground, Edwin Flack Reserve, is a high quality venue for sport in general and the club’s facilities are state of the art and will fit in perfectly with the rest of the league.”
The club has won three senior flags since 2015, including premierships in 2017 and 2018 and a grand final appearance last year.
Despite the move, the club’s netball arm will remain in the AFL Outer East competition.
“We are pleased to announce that the Berwick Netball Club will remain in the AFL Outer East in 2021, with all 10 sides competing in netball next year,” the league said in a statement.
“AFL Outer East and the Berwick Netball Club have begun the process of developing a long term vision for the club that will ensure it has the structures in place that will see the club compete in a football/netball structure in the long term in the Outer East.
“AFL Outer East wishes Berwick Football Club the best for the future.”
Both the EFL and AFL Outer East are yet to officially confirm their respective salary cap figures for next season. But a $100,000 payment ceiling is the expected figure for the EFL’s Premier Division where Berwick will compete.