Doveton keen to join Southern Football Netball League

Doveton is looking to play closer to home as it weighs up a move away from the AFL Outer East.

Doveton is keen on a move to the Southern league. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Doveton is eyeing a move to the Southern Football Netball Club.

The Doves are affiliated with the AFL Outer East and won the Division 1 premiership in 2019.

But they finished 1-7 from eight matches and on the bottom of the Premier Division ladder this year.

It has prompted club officials to explore a move to the Southern league, at a time when fellow AFL Outer East clubs Cranbourne, Narre Warren and Beaconsfield have expressed interest in linking with the Mornington Peninsula Nepean league.

The Doves also lodged their interest in joining the MPNFL, but a switch to Southern is their preferred option.

Doveton must replace senior coach Daniel Charles. Picture: Valeriu Campan

They see themselves more as a metropolitan than country club, and believe their long-term future would be more secure in the SFNL, helping to retain and recruit players.

Doveton has held talks with Southern officials and alerted AFL Outer East to its thinking.

If the Doves do make the move they would more than likely start in Division 2, going up against the likes of Springvale Districts, Hampton Park, Keysborough, Caulfield and East Brighton.

Doveton, Hampton Park and Keysborough were affiliated with the old South West Gippsland league, which became part of the MPNFL and operated under the Casey Cardinia banner.

The clubs broke away to form the South East Football Netball League in 2015.

Three years later came a merger with the Yarra Ranges Football and Netball League to form AFL Outer East.

The Doves are also searching for a new senior coach after club great Daniel Charles stood down.

Charles has been in charge since 2018, when the Doves failed to win a game in SEFNL.

Twelve months later they rose to win the AFL Outer East Division 1 premiership, their first flag since club legend Steve Henwood steered them to the Casey Cardinia premiership in 2005.

Former VFL general manager Martin Stillman is Doveton’s director of football and leading the effort to replace Charles.

Anyone interesting in coaching the club can contact Stillman on 0428 042 026.