Ovens and Murray: Corowa-Rutherglen fightback on and off field underway

The massive job to get Corowa-Rutherglen Football-Netball Club up and going again has started. Read about two recent key moves.

Corowa-Rutherglen is prepared to share its current home with other community groups in the pursuit of building a floodproof facility following major damage last year.

The Ovens and Murray league club that has put three football teams into recess this year has notified Federation Council of its intention to replace the current facility on public land near the Murray River.

“With the likelihood of major flooding occurring again in Corowa due to the changing climate and environment we need to build a structure that is well above the major flood level, raising 1.5 to 2m above the current ground level,” club president Graham Hosier said.

Corowa-Rutherglen's flooded changerooms late last year. Picture: Supplied

The creation of a multipurpose facility for the football-netball club and other groups could take three years, with the search for funding from federal and state governments underway.

Corowa-Rutherglen teams that play in the Albury-Wodonga junior league will play at Wahgunyah this weekend as it awaits the creation of temporary changerooms at John Foord Oval.

Former Corowa-Rutherglen president John Elmore has returned to help the embattled club with recruiting. Picture: Dannika Bonser

Meanwhile, former club president John Elmore has been elected to the club’s board to assist with the massive task of attracting players to relaunch the three football teams sitting out this season.

“We have to recruit a lot of players to play in the Ovens and Murray again,” he said.

“We all know there are a lot of jumpers and not enough bodies in this area.

“We will have to recruit some players from Melbourne and hope to snare a high profile coach.

“It’s like having your heart torn out at the moment, not having a footy club in a town like Corowa with 7000 people

“I’ve got no doubt we can get the community right behind us and we will be up and going again next year.”

Wahgunyah and Rutherglen again suffered heavy defeats in the Tallangatta and District league last round.