Push for Western Border Football League rejig

THE Western Border Football League grand finalists say the number of clubs in the league must change if it is going to be sustainable.

THE Western Border Football League grand finalists say the number of clubs in the league must change if it is going to be sustainable.

Four seasons have been completed since the competition was reduced from nine clubs to six, but any change appears unlikely in the immediate future.

The formation of an independent commission in southeast South Australia is yet to be finalised, with the interim chairman refusing to put a time frame on its completion.

And the state body has no power to force clubs to move leagues.

North Gambier defeated South Gambier 8.16 (64) to 8.4 (52). It took North Gambier’s premiership tally to four from six consecutive appearances.

Outgoing North Gambier president Tony Kelly said it “makes sense” that there needed to be “rationalisation” of the three leagues in the southeast region. They include Western Border, Mid South Eastern, which has nine clubs, and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara, which currently has 11 clubs.

“There is no sustainability in our football league at the present,” Kelly said. “There are leagues around Australia that play with six and they work perfectly well, but it’s because of the geographical location of those clubs.

“Down here we’re all so close, but disjointed, basically, and there needs to be an authority within South Australian football who comes down here and sets up a blueprint of how football and netball can be far more sustainable.”

South Gambier president Leigh Winterfield said he was “on the same page” with Kelly.

He said ideally he would merge the three competitions into two. But he acknowledged that Mt Gambier’s population, junior numbers and job opportunities could make clubs based there unattractive opponents.

The Western Border league had 10 clubs in 2011, until Heywood joined the South West District league for season 2012.

A 2012 joint review by the VCFL and South Australian Community Football League resulted in two Hamilton clubs merging and joining the Hampden league in 2013 along with another Western Border club, Portland.

Establishing a southeast regional commission was recommended in 2014.

League restructures was just one issue the commission would examine, according to interim chairman Frank Brennan, and “probably not the most important”.

“We will actually end up prioritising and looking at them in our own good time, but ... we still need to get sign up from the three leagues and three netball associations.”