North Central: Nullawil and Wycheproof-Narraport merger working party formed

Nullawil and Wycheproof-Narraport remain on-field rivals this year, but plans are underway to bring the two together in 2025.

Tentative first steps in executing the merger of North Central league clubs Wycheproof-Narraport and Nullawil for the 2025 season have been made.

A working committee of equal numbers of representatives from both clubs met for the first time on Sunday to begin the task of amalgamating the near neighbours.

The two presidents, Nullawil’s Grant Kelly and Wycheproof-Narraport’s Rick Allan, have taken a back seat on the merger plans to concentrate on the remainder of this season with both clubs performing below pre-season expectations.

“I’m very, very confident it will work out as good as anything you will see,” Kelly said.

“This one will be a 50-50 split on everything.”

The working party will start to meet regularly to make important decisions on what the merged team will be called, what colours they will wear and the split on where games will be played.

Members of both clubs this week have been asked to submit ideas on what the merged entity should be called from next year.

A short-list of potential new names will be collated from an online survey that closes on Monday before a vote of 2024 financial members of both clubs is held.

Wycheproof-Narraport and Nullawil played against each other in the North Central league for the first time last year. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Kelly said the two clubs took heart from the creation of the Southern Mallee Thunder in the Wimmera league that initially brought together Hopetoun and Beulah before adding Jeparit-Rainbow this year.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to over there couldn’t praise it enough,” Kelly said.

“They’ve got four clubs that have come together and they are still getting footy in their towns at some stage.”

Southern Mallee Thunder is using grounds at Hopetoun, Beulah, Jeparit and Rainbow in the club’s inaugural season.

Wycheproof-Narraport and Nullawil are presently sitting outside the top four of a competition that has risen in standard this year.

Wycheproof-Narraport is coming off a two-point loss to Boort last round to have only two wins.

Nullawil has just one victory after losing to reigning premier Sea Lake-Nandaly in the grand final replay.

Three years ago, Wycheproof-Narraport almost merged with Charlton, but saw Nullawil as a better option when it moved to the North Central league last year from the Golden Rivers league.