Geelong and District president Neville Whitley says league is exploring interleague return with Colac and District league

The GDFNL is expected to consult clubs on a possible interleague return this year, after an approach was made by a neighbouring league. HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR POLL

Bell Post Hill premiership player Dylan Witney represented GDFNL’s interleague side in 2018. Picture: David Smith

The Geelong and District league is exploring an interleague return, with a decision expected to come within the next month following club consultation.

The GDFNL had been approached by the Colac and District league about a potential mid-season match-up, with the King’s Birthday public holiday on Monday, June 9 and Winchelsea’s Eastern Reserves the proposed date and venue.

The June long weekend is a league-wide bye in the GDFNL, while CFDNL plays a full round of home-and-away games on the Saturday.

It would mark the first time since 2019 the GDFNL – known as the Raiders – would participate in an interleague contest, its football side defeated by Bellarine Sharks by 39 points in their last outing.

Geelong and District league’s netball side celebrate their Interleague win over North Central Football Netball League in 2018. Picture: Jay Town.

Long-serving GDFNL president Neville Whitley believed most clubs would be in favour of interleague’s return, but wanted their input first before making any decisions.

“We’ll put the feelers out to see if clubs are interested, and players are interested, and take it from there,” Whitley said.

He confirmed a decision would need to be made within the next four weeks, with the proposed date just under 11 weeks away.

It’s been suggested the one-off match could be age limited, either in an under-25 or under-23 format, as a way to showcase both leagues’ best young talent.

Other leagues have followed this route, the Hampden league and Ballarat league resuming their interleague rivalry in 2023 with an under-23 football match, while the likes of Goulburn Valley and Ovens and Murray leagues have opted to keep their main battles open to all senior players.

“We think it has some merit, playing an underage side, but then some older guys might want to have a game … it’s something we’ve got to juggle around with,” Whitley said.

With AFL Victoria no longer helping reimburse expenses for interleague, Whitley said the GDFNL would do a cost analysis around their potential return, and suggested they may approach AFL Victoria for any assistance they could provide.

Originally published as Geelong and District president Neville Whitley says league is exploring interleague return with Colac and District league