Mornington Peninsula football clubs opposed to plans to revamp leagues

COLOURFUL criminal lawyer Bernie “The Attorney’’ Balmer has had many court battles but now he’s going into bat for his beloved Sorrento Football Club.

Lawyer Bernie Balmer says the possibility of having to travel to Pakenham or Berwick could “kill’’ his club, Sorrento.

COLOURFUL criminal lawyer Bernie “The Attorney’’ Balmer has had many court battles and now he’s involved in a footy stoush.

The Sorrento president is not happy with plans to revamp the leagues on the Mornington Peninsula and bring in teams from the South East FNL.

Balmer said his club was fiercely opposed to any change, saying the possibility of having to travel to Pakenham or Berwick could “kill’’ his club.

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“Leave us alone,” he said.

“What they should be doing is utilising their facilities to go and help clubs with their management and marketing and stuff like that.”

Balmer has more than 30 years’ experience in criminal law and some of his clients have included Mark “Chopper” Read and Mick Gatto.

Presidents of Nepean and Peninsula league clubs met recently and voted 22-0 against the AFL South East Region Commission’s proposal to return to a divisional model.

It would be headed by a Premier league, with two divisions under it.

A Leader News poll showed more than 80 per cent of people who voted preferred the option of a division one and two, rather than north and south.

There was even speculation Sorrento could migrate to the Bellarine Football League if it was made to travel long distances in a revamped comp.

“I think a lot of things have been thrown around in anger rather than sense,’’ Balmer said. “But it could be on the cards, it’s only a ferry ride away.’’

He said all Nepean league clubs were “ anti the proposal”.

“Stop micro managing us,” he said.

“If they want to hit us over the head we could always take them to VCAT. I’ve already bounced it off (AFL South East Region general manager) John Anderson, I said, ‘I hope you’ve got a good VCAT budget’.”

Anderson told Leader today: “I’m not commenting on general speculation. The process is that clubs have until July 3 to formally respond to the report and we won’t issue any comment until we have received the feedback from the clubs.’’