Picola District: Barooga members to vote on switching leagues on Thursday
Barooga members vote Thursday on rejoining the PDFNL after 36 years, with their potential return set to trigger talks about splitting the 16-team competition.
Barooga’s potential re-entry into the Picola District league by the end of next week will trigger talks about splitting the competition into two divisions again.
Barooga members will vote on Thursday night to make application to rejoin the PDFNL where it last played in 1988 before a switch to the Murray league the following year.
PDFNL clubs raised no opposition to Barooga’s interest in returning at the league’s recent annual meeting where a profit of $82,956 was reported.
Between 2009 and 2018, the PDFNL’s 17 clubs were split into two divisions until Tungamah, Katandra, Dookie United and Shepparton East left to remain affiliated with the AFL.
Tungamah, Katandra and Dookie United have since returned while the competition has remained unaffiliated with the AFL.
League operations manager Shane Railton confirmed if Barooga was admitted as the 16th club the possibility of splitting into two competitions would inevitably be raised.
“There is no set number to split,” he said.
“But personally speaking, if Barooga is admitted and the league publicises a willingness to split into two competitions there will be significant interest from other clubs to also join.
“If those two things were to happen I’m of the view there will be immediate interest from clubs.”
During 2025, the PDFNL was in talks with five former Golden Rivers league clubs before four of them, Murrabit, Hay, Moulamein and Wandella, agreed to join the stronger Central Murray league and Macorna went to the Loddon Valley league.
Railton remained hopeful a required 75 per cent majority support of Barooga members to apply to rejoin the PDFNL will be achieved and the Hawks would then be given the chance to present to PDFNL clubs next week.
“If there are any concerns raised by the clubs then the league’s operational staff will further investigate those concerns,” Railton said.
“The final decision will be made by the board.
“One way or the other by the end of next week we will have it hopefully resolved.”
Barooga feels it would be better suited back in the PDFNL competing against similar sized towns.
