Ashwood has launched a bid to move from the SFNL to EFNL for 2025

Ashwood has voted “significantly in favour” of a move to the Eastern Football Netball League but a move for the Magpies won’t come without obstacles. Here are the details.

Ashwood FC. Pictures: Fraser Family

Ashwood has launched its bid to join the Eastern Football Netball League but will likely need to overcome an appeal to get there.

The Magpies met with the Southern Football Netball League in September before holding a Special General Meeting on Tuesday night.

At the SGM, Ashwood’s committee, life members, supporters and players voted in favour of a move to the Eastern league.

Club president Paul Hattersley said the vote was “significantly in favour” of the move.

The Magpies believe they will be more sustainable in the Eastern league due to their geographical location.

“The sustainability, the future of the club and geographically it makes more sense as well,” Hattersley said.

“We think the Eastern is a better fit for the Ashwood footy club and the sustainability of the club going forward, (we have) 35 guys under 25 and they all grew up in the Eastern suburbs.

“It’s a lot easier for recruitment, retention … it makes people being aware of us as a club a lot easier than going to South Mornington which is 61km away.”

Ashwood. Pictures: Fraser Family

The Magpies are aiming to join Division 4 of the Eastern league.

Hattersley said moving from Southern’s third division to Eastern’s fifth was “a big call”.

“It was a big call and a lot of research has been done,” he said.

“We spoke to Oakleigh Districts, who made the transition, we rung Waverley Blues, we have a good relationship with them.

“The best thing about it was they (Eastern clubs) were so positive about the support for those teams who were stuck in Division 4 for a while.

“It was a very tough decision but we are moving to the premier competition in Melbourne and that helps as well when recruiting players.”

The SFNL will appeal Ashwood’s move if its accepted.

Southern Football Netball League CEO Lee Hartman says it will appeal the move should the EFNL accept Ashwood.

“They (Ashwood) held a club meeting the other night, the Eastern Football Netball League hasn’t accepted them yet and if they do we will be appealing it,” Hartman said.

“We have plenty of reasons as to why we’ll appeal it but the next step of the process is with Eastern.

“We’re in a conversation with Eastern at the moment; their fifth division looks like it will get a team from the VAFA to make it eight teams and eliminate their bye.

“Taking another team would create a bye for them and a bye for us – we will appealing should Eastern accept them.

“They’ve (Ashwood) been in Southern since day one, they’re a Southern club, we won’t be letting them go.

“We think we should fight for them (Ashwood), they’ve asked us to, so we will be.”