MPNFL: Frankston Dolphins’ application knocked back

The MPNFL has voted against the admission of Southern league’s Frankston Dolphins, who have expressed their disappointment. And Cranbourne pulled out before the vote.

The Frankston Dolphins will remain in Southern league. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The Southern league’s Frankston Dolphins have failed in their bid to join the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.

The Dolphins failed to reach the 75 percent requirement in a vote by MPNFL club presidents on Wednesday night.

It’s understood 12 clubs voted for the Dolphins to join, and 10 were against it.

AFL Outer East club Cranbourne, which presented its case for admission to the MPNFL last week, withdrew its application.

Frankston Dolphins president Mal Lewis said his club was disappointed to be knocked back.

“We think it’s the right move for the league to start the expansion of the third division and grow,” he said.

“But obviously some people aren’t that interested in doing it.”

Frankston Dolphins made it clear they wouldn’t be able to start playing in the MPNFL until 2023.

But they wanted to have their application approved now.

The Dolphins became a senior entity in Southern in 2018.

Lewis said, although they didn’t get in, there was plenty of support for the Dolphins from MPNFL clubs.

“We had some great responses from clubs yesterday,” he said.

“We put out an email highlighting the points why we think it’s a good fit for us to come in and we had probably eight clubs come back and say ‘we’re fully for you and we think it’s a great thing for you guys to come in’.

“So, yeah it’s a bit disappointing today.’’

Rich Mathers is the Frankston Dolphins' new coach. Picture: Facebook

The Dolphins have announced the appointment of Rich Mathers as senior coach for the 2022 season.

Cranbourne withdrew its application earlier this week, with club president Shane Baker saying: “I think it was pretty obvious leading into it that it probably wasn’t going to happen for us.”

Cranbourne’s bid to join the MPNFL in 2018 was unsuccessful and Baker doubted the Eagles would try again.

“We’re not going to be having another crack at the MPNFL,” he said.

“I honestly don’t think they’re ready to expand their competition.

“They made noises they wanted to have a third division but when push came to shove last night they probably indicated they didn’t.

“We’re a bit perplexed by it all.”

In other news from the president’s meeting, motions proposed by the Hastings FNC regarding the promotion of Langwarrin and Mornington to Division 1 were debated and defeated.