Casey Cardinia Football League Club Keysborough will ask to make the jump to the Southern Football League

KEYSBOROUGH Football Club will seek a move from the Casey Cardinia Football League to the Southern Football League for next season.

Chris Bryan. Chris Bryan (middle) - AFL and former grid iron player has been appointed coach of Keysborough Football Club. Photographed with Steve Mclean & Manny Scata.

KEYSBOROUGH Football Club will seek a switch to the Southern Football League for next season.

Burra members met last night and voted unanimously to leave the Casey Cardinia league and join Southern.

The club will apply for a transfer at the end of the season.

President Manny Scata said there was a “general acceptance’’ that without juniors and senior depth Keysy would struggle to match it with Casey Cardinia clubs like Narre Warren and Cranbourne.

“It’s a change of direction, but in terms of trying to secure our future it’s a very important step to take,’’ Scata said.

“It will allow us to put our players in a competitive position, divisional football, rather than being in a single-division competition like Casey Cardinia. Unless you’re very strong, you’re really destined for the bottom area of the ladder.

“Without juniors coming through we just couldn’t be competitive. And when you’re not competitive your supporters drop off and it has an impact on your revenue. Your costs go up because you need to attract players.’’

A subcommittee established to assess Keysborough’s options for 2015 and beyond recommended a move to the SFL.

“We looked at the amateurs and Southern, and Southern ended up being a better fit for us in terms of costs, travel times and the netball component of the club,’’ Scata said.

“I’ve advised Southern that it’s our intention to become affiliated with them.’’

Hit by season-ending injuries to key players, including coach and champion ruckman Chris Bryan, the Burras have managed only one win this season and suffered a series of three-figure beatings.

Scata said he would speak to the players individually and encourage them to cross with the club to the SFL.

“We won’t know for sure but the feedback we’re getting is that the playing group is in support of what we’re doing.’’

SFL chief executive officer David Cannizzo said Keysborough was in “Southern heartland’’ and the league welcomed its approach.

He said Southern would appy to AFL Victoria once the board endorsed the transfer.

The Burras are likely to start in Division 2.

Founded in 1947, Keysborough joined the South West Gippsland Football League in 1954. South West Gippsland merged with the Mornington Peninsula league in the mid-1990s and its clubs formed the nucleus of Casey Cardinia.