Hampden: Port Fairy senior team will play against Warrnambool
Port Fairy seniors will return this week after a forfeit sent shockwaves around the state. Coach Winnis Imbi explains what’s happened in recent days.
Port Fairy has avoided a second successive forfeit at senior level of the Hampden league with a commitment to field a team against Warrnambool on Saturday.
The club forfeited its last round match against ladder leaders Koroit due to an unprecendented injury crisis that also led to its reserves team forfeiting again.
But enough players will return from injury, plus some former players agreeing to return to help the club out in its hour of need, to ensure the club will field a senior team.
The reserves will forfeit again against Warrnambool.
Coach Winnis Imbi said it was a “unique circumstance” that led to last week’s forfeit with a reluctance to bring up players from its under-18.5 age group to ensure the seniors played.
“To have 20 people unavailable was just crazy,” he said.
“Even our training has been very limited where we’ve had only eight to 10 seniors players available to train.
“Early in the year we made a commitment to only play (the under-18.5 year age group) on form and also when we thought they were physically and mentally ready.”
Imbi said it was the club’s intention to field all teams, including reserves, in the last round against Hamilton with players to be sourced from surrounding clubs that missed finals coming on board on permits.
“People forget our senior open netball team have also done it hard this year,” Imbi said.
“They’ve been hit by injury as well.”
EARLIER
Port Fairy is desperately trying to avoid a second successive forfeit of its senior team against another finals-bound team in the Hampden league.
The club is due to play fifth-placed Warrnambool at home on Saturday after forfeiting to ladder leaders Koroit last weekend in a move that sent shockwaves around the state.
It is hoping to entice players from clubs which have missed finals in surrounding leagues such as the South West District and Western Border for the last two rounds of the season in a short move to bolster its depleted playing ranks.
Hampden general Mike Farrow said the injury ravaged club was “working their butts off” to avoid a second forfeit after 64 per cent of its senior list was unavailable for the Koroit game.
“They don’t want to let other teams down by missing a game so close to finals,” he said.
“They might be able to permit some players in who aren’t in the finals.
“It’s not ideal, but they are doing everything they possibly can.”
Warrnambool is guaranteed to finish fifth with two rounds remaining with Port Fairy due to play out of contention Hamilton in the last round.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” he said.
“Every club I would have thought would rally behind them and want Port Fairy to stay in the competition.
“Two or three years ago they played in a (preliminary final) and it can turn pretty quickly.
“But it’s going to take a lot of hard work.”
AFL Victoria community football manager John O’Donohue said he was surprised a forfeit at senior level hadn’t happened earlier in the season with Covid and other illnesses prevalent in the community.
“It is the first club to forfeit at senior level this year, which all things considered, is a credit to everyone involved across the state after almost two years of no football at all,” he said.
“There have been significant viruses and flus in the community which have been compounded by injuries.”
Port Fairy coach Winnis Imbi was contacted for comment by The Weekly Times.
LAST WEEK
Port Fairy has made the tough call to forfeit its senior match against Hampden league ladder leaders Koroit on Saturday due to a major injury crisis at the club.
It has more than 60 per cent of its senior list unavailable and wants to avoid subjecting its under 18.5s players to playing two matches on the same day.
It’s believed to be the first forfeit at senior level in the state this year.
Club president Noel Black in a statement said “we’re not going anywhere” in response to speculation the club was looking at leaving the Hampden league.
“We are strong and resilient and we will get through this,” he said.
“We have strong committee structures who are already working on plans for 2023 and beyond.
“We have a dedicated player and volunteer base and our work over the past few years in our junior division is the very reason we need to keep pushing for our club.”
Port Fairy is sitting on the bottom of the senior ladder without a win and its reserves team has forfeited six of its 15 games this season.
The under 18.5s have five wins this year.
The reserves have forfeited to Koroit for second time this season and Koroit won the senior match by 184 points last time they met.
Port Fairy failed to score in a recent match against North Warrnambool.
It began the season with a shortage of players and also issued a plea for people to fill vacant volunteer positions on the eve of the season.
Koroit coach Chris McLaren said: “It’s not something we can control, like a lot of things footy clubs have faced the last couple of years.
“It’s clearly a difficult position they’ve found themselves in.”
AFL Victoria community football manager John O’Donohue said he sympathised with Port Fairy’s position.
“It is the first club to forfeit at senior level this year, which all things considered, is a credit to everyone involved across the state after almost two years of no football at all,” he said.
“There have been significant viruses and flus in the community which have been compounded by injuries.”
Port Fairy senior team is coached by Winis Imbi.
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