Wimmera: Southern Mallee Giants and Jeparit-Rainbow in merger talks

Mergers are commonplace in the Mallee region and another one is on the cards for two recent grand finalists. See which clubs are joining.

Southern Mallee Giants and Jeparit-Rainbow are heading down the merger path again to play in the Wimmera Football-Netball League next season.

The club’s senior teams both played off in grand finals last month, but a shortage of junior players has been the trigger for the latest merger talks.

The Giants haven’t fielded an under-17 team for the majority of seasons they’ve played in the Wimmera league after crossing from the Horsham District league in 2018.

Southern Mallee Giants coach Kieran Delahunty, right, battles against Ararat’s Cody Lindsay in the Wimmera league grand final last month. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

They had an under-14 team that won seven games this season, but Giants president Nathan Williams said it was “time to do something”.

“We’ve always had chats with them knowing one day in the future it would go that way,” he said.

“Junior football is the main driver.

“We don’t have 17s and they are struggling to find numbers every week.

“It was time to do something because it’s not going to improve for us.

“There is no group of 10 kids coming through to save it.”

The Giants held a “future directions” meeting on Wednesday and members will vote on the merger in a fortnight, as will Jeparit-Rainbow members.

Jeparit-Rainbow played off in the Horsham District league grand final this season. Picture: Supplied

Jeparit-Rainbow had under-17 and under-14 teams this season, but president Lucas Edelsten said a shortage of volunteers was another “driving factor”.

“We can field our junior sides, but we are borrowing players from other clubs and running short on volunteers to do jobs,” he said.

“We explored our options with four other clubs to make sure we were making the right choice.

“Traditionally the four towns nearly hated each other when they played in the Mallee league.

“But we’re all in close proximity and have a similar culture to each other.”

Southern Mallee Giants lost to Ararat in the Wimmera league grand final at Dimboola last month. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Southern Mallee Giants were formed when Beulah and Hopetoun merged at the end of the 2015 season.

The Giants won back-to-back flags in the Horsham District league in 2016-17 before stepping up to the Wimmera league.

Beulah and Hopetoun previously played against Rainbow-Jeparit in the now defunct Mallee league.

Jeparit and Rainbow merged in 1995 and switched from the Lakers to Storm when they moved from the Mallee to Horsham District leagues in 2014.

If the merger proceeds the team is expected to retain the Southern Mallee name, but a jumper change is being discussed.