Colac Tigers fold under-18s team, sends players to CDFL clubs mid-season

Colac has folded its under-18s team for the rest of the 2022 season after poor numbers meant the program was not ‘sustainable’. Find out where the kids will play this year.

Football GFL: Newtown & Chilwell v Colac Colac 5 Jacob McGuane Picture: Mark Wilson

Dwindling player availability and interest has led to the Colac Tigers folding its under-18s team in the middle of the 2022 season.

The decision to pull the pin on the season came six rounds into the season and two weeks before the June 30 deadline, with the club deciding it was “unsustainable” to use players from the under-16s side for the rest of the year.

Colac president Matt Gibson said it was disappointing to reach this decision.

“It’s disappointing because one thing is the kids we had playing in the side were talented, we were down on numbers most weeks and the results were always close,” he said.

“We’ve worked with the kids and their families about continuing their football this season, a lot of them will return to their local junior clubs or filter to Alvie in the CDFL.”

Gibson said the players who were leaving the club did so with Colac’s blessing, and he hoped they would return to play in a Tigers’ uniform in 2023.

“Some of the players are eligible to play under-18s next year, and virtually all of them want to come back and play with us next year, which is really pleasing,” he said.

“We made it clear to the kids and their families that they can still train with the seniors on Tuesdays and Thursdays, use the gym, come to club dinners and still enjoy the club environment.

“They go with our blessing, we want them to progress their footy and hopefully they come back and play with us next season.”

Originally published as Colac Tigers fold under-18s team, sends players to CDFL clubs mid-season