RDFL 2019: League weighing up whether to chase 12th club
AFL Goldfields is weighing up whether to target a 12th team to join the Riddell District Football League in coming years after Sunbury Kangaroos left the competition.
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AFL Goldfields is weighing up whether to target a 12th team to join the Riddell District Football League in coming years after Sunbury Kangaroos left the competition.
The Roos have crossed to the Essendon District league, leaving the RDFL with 11 clubs.
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The RDFL was a 13-team league as recently as 2015, before Kilmore crossed to the Northern league.
“It’s early days of an 11-team competition and the clubs might be supportive of a bye, giving the administrators and the players a rest,” AFL Goldfields boss Rod Ward said.
“We have got to be conscious of the fact now that’s two clubs that have left us and while an 11-team competition is still very healthy, we probably need to make sure we look after those clubs in the competition and make sure they are happy.”
The RDFL has been seeking feedback from clubs about issues including the length of next year’s season and the date of the grand final.
The competition’s board will tonight discuss whether to headhunt another club to fill the vacancy left by Sunbury Kangaroos.
Ward said he was reluctant to “speculate” but confirmed geography would be a consideration should a 12th club be invited to join the RDFL.
Clubs such as Kyneton (Bendigo FL), Trentham District (Maryborough Castlemaine DFL) and Gisborne (Bendigo FL) are within 30km of some RDFL clubs.
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Ballarat league clubs Melton South, Melton, Bacchus Marsh, Darley and Sunbury are also nearby.
Ward said the addition of another club was only a “discussion point”.
Other issues being considered include whether to use an 18-match fixture over 20 weeks or a 16-round draw over 18 weeks in 2019.
“We do a post-season survey of all of clubs around operational stuff and that survey is currently out for the clubs to provide feedback on,” he said.
“Part of that is what sort of season we’ll have.”
Whether the RDFL operates with a five or six-team finals series next year is also up for debate.
“The Ballarat Football League has run with a final six in an 11-team competition for years successfully,” he said.
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