Transfer talks: Cranbourne weighs up switch to Southern league

AFL Outer East affiliate Cranbourne has until October 15 to decide if it will apply to join the SFNL.

Champion forward Marc Holt takes a kick for Cranbourne this year. Picture: Valeriu Campan

South-east football and netball mainstay Cranbourne is considering a move to the Southern league.

The Eagles had intended to apply to join the Mornington Peninsula Nepean league, but withdrew before it went to a vote.

They’re now weighing up a switch to Southern.

Cranny officials had an online meeting with SFNL chief executive officer Lee Hartman, president Marc Gauci and vice-president Garry Cranny last night.

The AFL Outer East affiliate has until October 15, the AFL Victoria cut-off for transfers, to lodge an application.

“We’re just assessing all the options,’’ Cranbourne president Shane Baker said this morning.

“We’ve got to determine where we are going to be for the next 132 years, basically.

“We’re throwing a few balls up in the air and seeing what comes down.

“We’ve been in four different leagues in 16 years – from the old MPNFL structure to Casey Cardinia, to the SEFNL, to the Outer East – so it’s not healthy and we just need to get on top of it and determine what our pathway is moving forward.

“Whatever decision we make has to be for the long-term.’’

The Southern league has already accepted another AFL Outer East club, Doveton.

AFL Victoria and AFL Outer East have approved the move.

But Southern may lose Oakleigh District, which is in talks with Eastern.

If the Oaks are cleared, Cranbourne could potentially take their place in first division.

“There’s a fair bit of depth in numbers of clubs there,’’ Baker said of the Southern league.

“We feel like the standard might suit where we are going and that’s nothing against the top end standard in Outer East.

“Outer East have been fantastic.

“We’ve just got to find the place that’s a home and I guess it’s made it a little harder with Beaconsfield and Doveton moving on after Berwick did last year. When change starts it creates a bit of a flow-on affect with everyone starting to consider what their future is.’’

Baker said the prospect of Cranbourne ever linking with the MPNFL was “dead in the water’’.

“That window is shut now and we’ve just got to commit ourselves to wherever we’re going to be next, get on with life, get ourselves sorted and be able to look forward 10 years,’’ he said.

“We’re a chance to get in for next season. We’ve had our chats. We’re having an online information session with club members on Thursday night.

Cranbourne coach Steve O’Brien at the huddle.

“To give them a heads-up on what we’re doing, what we’re thinking … we’ll probably seek some opinions about how they see the best fit as well, so it will be a bit of a forum … an opportunity to chat and let them know the processes we’re going through to make sure we’re pushing the club in the right direction.

“We have to make a determination sooner rather than later because the nomination form closes next Friday, so it doesn’t leave us a lot of time.

“Sometimes when you’re forced to make a decision it’s not a bad thing because you can keep procrastinating and waiting for something to happen.

“That’s where it’s at. We’re probably the last of the clubs to still be in some sort of limbo, I suppose.”

If it does make the move Cranbourne will join fellow former South West Gippsland league clubs Dingley, Doveton, Hampton Park, Keysborough and Chelsea Heights in Southern.

Meanwhile Oakleigh District – which has been earmarked to start in Division 2 of Eastern – is discussing the transfer with its members.

Hartman said the main reason the Oaks were looking elsewhere was their inability to have a junior club in the South Metro Junior Football League.

He said the SFNL was working with the SMJFL and AFL Victoria to “try and offer some solutions’’.

Hartman said Oakleigh District’s struggles in Division 1 had also been a concern for the club, but the league had the flexibility to reposition the Oaks.