Goulburn-Murray: Green light for new football-netball league in 2024

The Murray league’s plan to create a new league has gained the backing of AFL Goulburn-Murray. Now it just needs clubs to join up.

Eight clubs is the initial target for a new league to be created in the Goulburn-Murray region and run by the Murray Football-Netball League for at least the first two years.

The new competition has gained in-principle support from AFL Goulburn-Murray with clubs presently playing in the Picola and District and Kyabram and District already weighing up playing alongside Tocumwal in 2024.

Tocumwal quit the PDFL on the eve of the season after wanting to remain in an AFL-affiliated league.

Tungamah, Katandra, Picola United, Mathoura, Katunga, Jerilderie and Katamatite also contemplated making the move before staying put.

Action from the match between the Cobram and Mulwala in the Murray league this year. The MFL is looking to start up another competition that will include Tocumwal which left the Picola league at the start of the season. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Tungamah and Katandra have already been presented with plans for the new league.

But the move sparked retribution in the form of being temporarily blocked from accessing the PDFL online administration system that put in doubt their match last Saturday.

KDFL club Murchison-Toolamba will hold a meeting this week to discuss the new league.

Tocumwal president Matt Peterson said despite a lack of on-field success, the return to the Murray league had reinvigorated the club.

“We’re trying to find clubs that have strong juniors so we can constantly have games of football and netball for our junior players in particular,” he said.

“Ultimately we want to make it way easier for administrators to run their clubs.

“We knew it was always going to be a tough year and it’s been hard keeping the morale of players up.

“But if we take a medium-term view that if we can get this league up, the longer term view of football and netball in the region is so much more positive.”

Murray Football League general manager Dale Norman.

Murray league general manager Dale Norman said the door was open to clubs wanting to come on board for the competition to be administered and governed by the MFL for an initial two-year period.

He said eight teams was the target, but it could accommodate 12.

“We haven’t set out to take over the world or offer some form of Utopia,” he said.

“It’s up to the clubs now whether they want us to pursue it any further.

“I’m sure those talks will happen over the next fortnight.

“But we would really like to know where we’re going by the first week of August.

“It’s not going to be easy and it’s going to take a lot to drive it and a lot to make it happen.

“It’s going to come back to the clubs and the direction they want to take.”