Essendon District Football League poised to establish a thirds competition for its biggest clubs in 2015

The Essendon District Football League is expected to confirm within weeks that it will establish a new senior competition for its existing clubs.

Strathmore and Aberfeldie players contest a mark in this year’s Essendon District Football League Premier Division seniors grand final. Photo: Angie Basdekis

THE Essendon District Football League is expected to confirm within weeks that it will establish a new senior competition for its existing clubs.

The move would mean some of the league’s biggest clubs would field three senior teams in 2015 with the addition of a thirds competition to the current seniors and reserves model.

While league general manager Marc Turri said the creation of a thirds competition was still just a concept, Leader understands one club is so confident the competition will be established that it plans to advertise for a coach as soon as this week.

“At this stage it’s still only a concept,” Turri said.

“We have to send some documentation out to the clubs and get their feedback from it. But it’s certainly been discussed with a decision expected in the next four to six weeks.”

Turri said six existing EDFL clubs had expressed interest in entering a thirds team next year, with four Premier Division clubs and one club from each of Division 1 and 2 also in the picture.

“We’ve identified that a number of clubs are going to have an excess number of reserves players next season and certainly some of the clubs had players missing out on reserves this season,” he said.

“So we’ve had a good look at the numbers to see whether it’s worthwhile implementing an additional competition next year.”

Greenvale, Strathmore, Aberfeldie and Pascoe Vale all fielded two under-18.5 sides this year, the league keen to provide an avenue for those players to continue playing football.

“It’s not necessarily about making sure they don’t go to other clubs in other leagues but we’ve identified that there is a large number of players that when they finish their under-18 careers cease playing football,” Turri said.

“This is about giving them an outlet, so that they can continue to play football within the EDFL and within their own club.”

Similar thirds models have been established in the VAFA and Southern Football League in recent years to cope with the excess number of open-age players at some clubs.

“The amateurs do it,” one EDFL club president told Leader.

“Club’s like Therry (Penola) field a third senior team. You can’t tell me clubs like Strathmore, Greenvale, Aberfeldie and Keilor aren’t bigger than Therry and able to do it.”