Hampden: Portland considering approach to join South Australian league
With only one finals appearance in a decade and ongoing battles to retain players, Portland is contemplating a change of leagues.
The South Australian National Football League will on Wednesday night present a pitch to tempt Portland to quit the Hampden league.
The southeast region of South Australia is undergoing a major restructure and Portland has been approached to join an expanded Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara or Mid Southeast competition.
Portland played in the Western Border league before switching to the Hampden league a decade ago.
But under the proposed shake-up, the Western Border league will fold and four existing clubs, North Gambier, South Gambier, West Gambier and Millicent, will move into a 14-team Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara league.
Casterton and East Gambier, which also presently play in the Western Border league, will move into the Mid Southeast league.
A similar approach was made to another Hampden league club, Hamilton Kangaroos, but it is staying put.
Portland and Hamilton Kangaroos both entered the Hampden league in 2013.
SANFL head of country football Shawn Ford wasn’t available for comment ahead of the Portland meeting.
It is hoped the revised two-league model will be in place for next season.
Portland president Troy Bannam said a “non-negotiable” in going to another league would be retaining its junior teams.
He said the club’s biggest issue was retaining and recruiting senior players.
“It is really difficult to retain players at the moment in that 18 through to 23-24 age bracket,” he said.
“We’re also really struggling to attract those top-end players.
“Portland being four hours from Melbourne and five hours from Adelaide, you’re not driving down to have a kick of the footy every weekend.
“Players have to relocate.
“It is going to be where we think we best fit and where the club is going to prosper.”
The club lost 15 players from the senior squad that made finals last year.
Hampden league president Shane Threlfall conceded Portland leaving was a genuine possibility.
“Portland has been really transparent and said they are happy to listen to their proposals,” he said.
“It is very much in its infancy, but the ball is certainly starting to roll.
“It is the first time people are starting to say there is probably going to have to be change to keep things sustainable.
“Previously most people have said ‘we will be right’.
“But they are now starting to realise that maybe we need to look at some form of change.”
Portland’s current senior coach Jarrod Holt is stepping down at the end of the season.
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