Local footy: EDFL presidents opposed to Rupertswood entering Division 2
It is the burning question in EDFL circles – should new club Rupertswood be placed in Division 1 or Division 2 in 2021 after claiming last year’s RDFL flag? Rival club presidents give their verdicts.
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Sunbury Kangaroos marched through the Essendon District Football League Division 2 season undefeated in 2019.
After crossing from the Riddell District league, the club proved a class above the rest on its way to the ultimate prize.
While runner-up Moonee Valley provided a stern challenge, the Kangaroos were a dominant side in the competition’s bottom division, leaving some questioning if they should have been placed in Division 1.
The EDFL faces another big decision in coming weeks, this time concerning last year’s RDFL premier Rupertswood.
The Sharks boast a powerful senior side and claimed their maiden RDFL flag last season, crushing Wallan by 85 points in the grand final.
They also finished minor premier the previous year before suffering a straight-sets finals exit.
In contrast, Sunbury Kangaroos finished eighth on the RDFL ladder with six wins in 2018.
Club presidents contacted by Leader Local Footy called on the league to put Rupertswood in Division 1 to avoid the risk of a lopsided campaign.
The likes of Moonee Valley, Burnside Heights and Coburg Districts are desperate to get out of the bottom grade, particularly on the back of a cancelled season.
“Our view is, and we’ve expressed this to the league, that they (Rupertswood) probably should be in Division 1,” Burnside Heights president Justin Peagram said.
“We think it would be grossly unfair for a club as strong as that to come straight into Division 2.
“Well done to the Sunbury Kangaroos, but we don’t want another season where there’s a dominant club. We know Moonee Valley almost caught them on grand final day, but we also know they played a couple of injured players that day that almost caught them off guard. They were definitely a stronger team than anyone else.”
The Bears, who entered the EDFL’s senior ranks in 2014, have steadily climbed the ladder and contested finals for the first time last year.
Peagram said Division 2 had improved significantly in recent seasons.
Former top-flight club Oak Park has also come down from Division 1, East Sunbury will be keen to rebound after qualifying for the grand final in 2018 and Hadfield is tipped as a big improver after bolstering its list.
“A lot of teams are fighting to get out of Division 2 and to put the brakes on that for another year by just allowing a club to come in and sweep the floor probably wouldn’t be ideal,” Peagram said.
“We don’t think it would be fair on the Division 2 clubs who have been trying to earn the right to move up.
“You can probably throw a blanket over four or five teams in Division 2 who would have a very competitive year next year if Rupertswood wasn’t in it.
“We don’t know what Rupertswood will have as far as losing players, gaining players but, all things being equal, we think they should be in Division 1.”
Moonee Valley president Jason Hellwig said he would prefer Rupertswood to be housed in Division 1.
“It’s always good to make the league stronger, but obviously from a selfish point of view we’re really keen to get ourselves up to Division 1,” he said.
“Whoever we’ve got to play and beat, we’re going to have a play and beat. We’ll see what the league says, but hopefully they go into Division 1.”
While his club went down by just 16 points to the Kangaroos in the decider and have recruited impressively since in readiness for another crack, Hellwig said the Fog would not complain if the decision did not go its way.
“You can say, ‘We’re getting picked on and life’s tough’ or, ‘It’s all fine, and we’ll get on with it’,” he said.
“We’re going to adopt the latter mindset.
“Whatever the decision is, we get on with it.”
Coburg Districts coach Tom Gleeson said he expected the EDFL’s board would make the right call.
“They’ll make the decision that’s the best for the league. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it,” he said.
It is understood a decision will be made this month.
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