Football restructure: Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara league rejects new plan

Cracks are starting to appear in plans for country footy in southeast South Australia. Read the views of two league bosses.

A major restructure of leagues in southeast South Australia to commence next season is in doubt with pushback emerging from two competitions involved.

The Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara league’s 10 clubs are united in their opposition to four teams from the Western Border league being added to its ranks, with extra travel involved for some clubs creating the most angst.

The Western Border league is being disbanded under the plan with two other existing clubs to join the Mid South Eastern league.

But Western Border league president Michael Summers said there was a scenario where it could remain with the return of Portland after a decade competing in the Hampden league still an option.

“There is a lot of animosity in all this,” Mr Summers said.

“We were expecting a 15-team competition with the Mid South Eastern and Western Border just joining and changing their names.

“People don’t like change, but the governing body should be more strategically and structurally aware of what the geographies say.

“You don’t want to have kids and families leaving at 5.30am or 6am on a wintry July day to travel two and a half hours to play a game of football.

“As a result my personal opinion is that nothing will change.”

Western Border and Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara played an interleague match on Saturday as debate rages over the future of the two competitions. Picture: Supplied

The switch of Western Border clubs South Gambier, North Gambier, West Gambier and Millicent to the KNT as proposed would create travel times of more than two hours for existing clubs Bordertown and Keith.

“It’s too much travel,” KNT president Peter McLellan said.

“You can only travel so much in a day for a game of footy.

“We do really hope Portland comes back into the Western Border league to give them some numbers.

“It’s geographically where they fit really.”

The Western Border league lost three clubs a decade ago when the two Hamilton-based teams merged and joined Portland in moving to the Hampden league.

Casterton-Sandford’s bid to leave the Western Border league and join the Mid South Eastern league last year was rejected.

But the failed move became the catalyst for the wider review announced last month.

A high number of Western Border players are based in Mt Gambier with the KNT able to draw players from Adelaide due to the club’s proximity to the South Australian capital.