West Gippsland league switch faces club doubts

Decision time looms for clubs wanting to join West Gippsland league in 2026, but some existing clubs may be going cold on the idea.

Three clubs are hoping to join the West Gippsland league in 2026.

Decision time is looming for a number of football clubs looking to join the West Gippsland league in 2026, but some existing clubs may be going cold on the idea.

The West Gippsland league had hoped to introduce a two-tiered competition as early as 2026. Officer and Pakenham from the Outer East Football Netball competition have applied to make the switch, along with Drouin from the Gippsland league.

However, their passage could be blocked amid speculation some West Gippsland clubs supporting a two-tiered structure oppose accepting only three new members.

With 11 current clubs, West Gippsland requires at least five additional teams to justify creating two divisions.

“West Gippsland clubs are saying, ‘yes, we want divisional football’,” an insider from an applicant club said.

“Now all of a sudden, they’re starting to say ‘if we only got three that means we can’t do divisional football’.

“All the clubs that have applied have been down this track before and I think there will be bruising, big time.”

Pakenham has applied to join West Gippsland.

The nearby Ellinbank and District Football League has 12 clubs.

“Everyone would love to see Ellinbank and West Gippsland come to some arrangement…and you’d end up with three tiers, everyone can keep their own identity,’’ the club insider said.

The club insider said Drouin, Officer and Pakenham would all be “a good fit’’ for West Gippsland.

“If they reject the clubs now it will make it very hard in the future to try and attract more,’’ he said.

Drouin club members voted 29-16 in favour of rejoining West Gippsland at a special general meeting in June.

Nar Nar Goon is undefeated in the West Gippsland competition this season, winning three of its games by 100-points plus. Tooradin-Dalmore, Phillip Island, Cora Lynn and Warragul Industrials make up the top five.

Meanwhile, Outer East Football Netball competition top-flight clubs Wandin and Upwey Tecoma have applied to join the Eastern league.

Upwey Tecoma club members voted in favour, 121 to 17, of switching leagues.

Upwey Tecoma president Craig Waters said a significant shift in the club’s demographic meant an Eastern league switch was timely.

“Our area is now far more metropolitan than it was 60 years ago,” he said.

“We believe a change in affiliation to the EFNL will allow us to meet challenges around the transition of junior players through age group benefits, reduce pressure on volunteers through reduced costs, including salary cap costs, and better support our women’s football program through deeper grading opportunities.”