SFNL: Dandenong West launches call to arms to play in 2024

With a host of players needing to select work over footy, a local club in Melbourne’s outer east has called to arms for numbers on the eve of the season.

Dandenong West has made a call to arms.

Dandenong West president Matthew McCabe says his club is “welcoming everybody and anybody down” as it pleads for numbers.

The Westerners, who switched back from the Redlegs this season, issued a call to arms on Wednesday night after numbers at training reached a concerning level.

The lack of numbers has come as a bit of a shock to McCabe after the seniors played in an elimination final and the reserves in a grand final last year.

But he said the rising cost of living has caused a large proportion of the list to select work on Saturday’s over football.

“Our numbers are definitely down, hence the call to arms,” McCabe said.

“We’re averaging between five and 15, which is not even close to being enough.

“We were hovering around the 25 mark, it’s not a case of people leaving and going to other clubs, we’ve only had four go elsewhere.

“The rest has been with the rising cost of living that they have to take on extra work.”

Keen footballers without a home can pull on the famous Westerners navy blue.

McCabe encourages all players to come down and insists they will “feel right at home”.

“We’re welcoming everybody and anybody down,” he said.

“We’re working on building the club to being family orientated and an enjoyable place to be.

“If someone comes down that’s a complete stranger, we want them to feel right at home.”