Broadford set for switch to Kyabram District FL as it votes to leave RDFL

RIDDELL District Football League president Allan ‘Ollie’ Matthews has expressed his disappointment after Broadford moved a step closer to leaving the league last week.

RIDDELL District Football League president Allan ‘Ollie’ Matthews has expressed his disappointment after Broadford moved a step closer to leaving the league last week.

At a meeting last Tuesday night — attended by Matthews and RDFL vice-president Stuart Brady — the Kangaroos’ members voted 34-23 in favour of pursuing a switch to the Kyabram District Football League.

The club is now waiting on approval from the KDFL to join its ranks, after which the move needs to be given the green light by AFL Victoria.

Broadford also considered a move back to the Heathcote District Football League — which it joined the RDFL from in 2008 — and the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League in its search for a new home but the KDFL was settled on as its preferred option.

Matthews said while any move was not “set in concrete” and the Kangaroos remained an RDFL side until final approval was gained from AFL Victoria, the league was disappointed by the club’s decision to leave.

“It’s a bit disappointing because we’ve met with them four or five times this year,” he said.

“It’s not as though they’ve burnt their bridges behind them. But at this stage their decision is they want to go and explore avenues elsewhere.

“We’ve got a strong competition but I certainly wouldn’t like to see them go because I’ve got a lot of friends at the Broadford Football Club and who knows what the AFL might be doing in the future with where the various clubs might be playing.”

Broadford finished this season with a record of 5-11, placing ninth on the table.

If it departed, the RDFL would be cut to a 12-team competition.