Central Murray clubs start to question merit of merger with Golden Rivers

Central Murray and Golden Rivers leagues' proposed 17-team merger faces collapse amid growing club concerns over voting rights and competition structure.

A merger of the Central Murray and Golden Rivers leagues next season is at risk of falling over.

Question marks on the merits of a 17-team competition made up of 11 Central Murray and six Golden Rivers clubs are escalating less than a month from when some teams will play their final matches this season.

A meeting of Central Murray club presidents and the Central Rivers board, which oversees both leagues, will be held on Wednesday night.

Multiple sources have told The Weekly Times that a major driver of angst is the recent decision to remove voting rights from clubs on big decisions like club transfers between leagues.

The by-law was scrapped this month after clubs were given less than two days to provide feedback on the change.

Following the change, Ultima’s move to the Central Murray league was endorsed by the Central Rivers board.

Ultima beat Hay in the Golden Rivers league grand final last year and has been accepted into the Central Murray league in 2026. Picture: Ultima Football-Netball Club Facebook

Ultima’s move has left the remaining five Golden Rivers clubs in limbo.

Some are resigned to playing in the stronger Central Murray league next year in preference to starting up a new competition under the Picola District league administration.

But growing unrest among Central Murray clubs at how a 17-team competition will work and the ability to recruit and retain players for an expanded league has started to hit home.

Central Rivers board member Stuart King, who led a study into the futures of the two leagues since last year, was contacted for comment.

The creation of western and eastern divisions of the Picola District league next year, which could accommodate Golden Rivers clubs, remains a long shot.

Meanwhile, the introduction of divisions in the West Gippsland league suffered a major setback last week with two clubs rejected.

The present 11 clubs voted to allow Drouin to join, but refused to admit Pakenham and Officer.

West Gippsland elected its first independent board of directors this year and a two-tier league was one of its major strategic aims.

It was a driving factor behind Drouin wanting to leave the Gippsland league.

But Gippsland has the option of wanting to keep Drouin in a move that would trigger an appeal to AFL Victoria.

West Gippsland needed an influx of at least five clubs to be able to create two divisions and sounded out the neighbouring Ellinbank District league to discuss the move.