North Gippsland: Newborough, Yinnar and Morwell East fail in bids to switch leagues

The Gippsland league’s proposal to start up a new competition has been given an unexpected boost. See the latest.

The Gippsland league’s plans to set up a new competition has been the biggest beneficiary from three clubs being denied entry into the North Gippsland league.

Morwell East, Yinnar and Newborough wanted out of the Mid Gippsland league, but applications to join the North Gippsland league met strong resistance from the existing 11 clubs last week.

Last month, the Gippsland league rolled out plans for a second division competition that would be prepared to start with only six clubs.

Gippsland league president Andrew Livingstone said there was a “bit of a willingness” to at least look at what it could offer to clubs wanting to change leagues.

It is presently conducting a survey open to all clubs in Gippsland to gauge feedback to its proposal.

“North Gippsland not allowing those three clubs in has probably, even more so, made some sort of (new) structure quite feasible,” he said.

“We’ve opened up the survey to any club in our region, that being East Gippsland, North Gippsland, Mid Gippsland, Ellinbank, West Gippsland.

“We just want to find out if there is an appetite there and it seems like there probably is.”

The survey will close later this month with the results to determine the next steps by the Gippsland league.

Morwell East was making its second successive application to join the North Gippsland league and Yinnar and Newborough also had strong member backing to explore the move.

Shoring up junior numbers is the biggest driver to the clubs wanting to change leagues.

It’s highly unlikely the Gippsland league’s second division proposal will be up and running next year.

The Gippsland league’s existing 10-team major competition resumes this weekend following a bye with two more rounds before finals.

NORTH GIPPSLAND’S HARD NO

The North Gippsland’s leagues 11 clubs have delivered a resounding rejection to the addition of three more clubs.

Morwell East, Yinnar and Newborough had applied to switch from the Mid Gippsland league for 2025 with Morwell East making a second bid in as many years.

But the options of admitting all three clubs, two of the three clubs or only one club failed on Wednesday night, in a move that left league president Martha Truin “frustrated and disappointed”.

A motion to admit three clubs failed when it couldn’t get a seconder.

Another motion to add two clubs was lost 8-4 and a further motion to bring in one club was split 6-6.

North Gippsland Football-Netball League clubs have strongly rejected the addition of three more clubs.

The North Gippsland constitution requires a 75 per cent majority to admit a new club with the 11 clubs plus the board all having one vote.

“Each individual club has its own reasons for not wanting to bring other clubs in,” Truin said.

“I will say some of those reasons are valid, but my personal opinion is some aren’t.”

Clubs were supportive of the current 11-team competition with a bye welcomed by volunteers.

“This year we started the process again and talks have been held very early,” Truin said.

“It’s disappointing and frustrating. The board can see some future in strengthening the league.

“We certainly had an appetite for one or two more clubs. But the members have spoken.”

Morwell East presently doesn’t have an under-18s team, but was committed to ensuring one could be created for 2025.

The option of financially compensating clubs an unspecified amount for the loss of gate takings and canteen by not having a junior team was also put forward by Morwell East.

“They were working really hard,” Truin said.

“They have two under-14s teams and an under-12s team.

“The growth in juniors is there, but isn’t quite there yet.”

EARLIER COVERAGE

North Gippsland Football-Netball League will meet on Wednesday night to vote on admitting three new clubs for next season.

Morwell East is making a second application in as many years and has been joined by Newborough and Yinnar in wanting to make the switch from the Mid Gippsland league.

North Gippsland, which presently has 11 clubs, won’t admit any club if it can’t field a full complement of three football and six netball teams.

“The vote will be to accept all three clubs,” league president Martha Truin said.

“But if that is knocked back, the motion on the table is to accept two clubs and if that is knocked back, we will go for one club.

“We need a 75 per cent yes vote to confirm that either three, two or one clubs come in.”

The North Gippsland league board led by Truin will also vote if required.

Morwell East was knocked back last year because it didn’t have a junior team competing in the five-team Mid Gippsland under-18s which remains the case this season.

Newborough gained 97 per cent member backing to join the North Gippsland league on Sunday.

Morwell East and Yinnar along with Newborough have applied to join the North Gippsland league next year. Picture: Deb Coady

Yinnar, Morwell East and Newborough are presently among the top-five teams in the Mid Gippsland senior competition that has 13 clubs.

Yallourn-Yallourn North was the last club to successfully make the switch from the Mid Gippsland to North Gippsland league in 2021.

The application of the three clubs to join North Gippsland follows a recent proposal by the Gippsland league to start up a second-tier competition.

Meanwhile, Cohuna Kangas’ were due to meet on Tuesday night to vote on making another bid to join the Heathcote District league.

They presently play in the Central Murray league, but long-term they see their future closer to Bendigo where many of their current players are based.

Current senior coach Jack Geary was recruited from Bendigo league reigning premier, Golden Square.

The Kangas initially require 66 per cent approval from the Heathcote District clubs to make the move.

Leitchville-Gunbower, one of the nine clubs presently in the Heathcote District league, is less than 15 minutes from Cohuna.

Loddon Valley clubs Maiden Gully-YCW and Marong also attempted to join the Heathcote District league, but were also knocked back.

In recent weeks, Maryborough has been thwarted in attempts to leave the Bendigo league and join the Maryborough-Castlemaine District and Central Highlands leagues.