Found this... Its from early july interesting read but.
THE Ovens and King league has opened its doors, ROSLYN LANIGAN reports
Clubs from the beleaguered
Benalla and District competition have been thrown a lifeline by the neighbouring
Ovens and King league.
Despite a
VCFL report suggesting nearby leagues would not benefit from the addition of Benalla clubs, Ovens and King league chairman John Muraca said his competition's 10-member clubs were "quite receptive" to adding new teams.
"Like all leagues, ours doesn't like change and the clubs would like the competition to stay as it is, if that were possible," Muraca told
The Weekly Times.
"But they all realise that country footy is going through massive changes and the Benalla league clubs need somewhere to play."
Muraca said representatives from all 10 Ovens and King teams met last week to discuss the expansion of the competition.
"We bought all the clubs in to inform them where we were at and what the likely scenarios could be," he said.
"The VCFL has informed us that they'd like three of the Benalla and District clubs to come into the Ovens and King league.
"But nothing is finalised yet.
"The only thing that seems certain is there will be no Benalla and District league next year."
Muraca confirmed the VCFL had requested Bonnie Doon, Goorambat and Swanpool be permitted to join the Ovens and King league.
But some league insiders are tipping Bonnie Doon would prefer to transfer to the
Yarra Valley Mountain District competition, to renew rivalries with former Benalla and District club Thornton-Eildon.
Struggling club Tatong has indicated it, too, will apply to join the Ovens and King league.
Longwood will seek to join the
Kyabram and District league at the end of the season, as it did unsuccessfully last year.
The VCFL's on-going review of football in the Benalla and District area is due to wrap up at the beginning of next month.
The review's early conclusions stated there was no evidence to suggest Benalla and District clubs would be able to compete "competitively and sustainably" in neighbouring leagues, and no evidence to suggest neighbouring leagues would benefit from their addition.
The report angered many league followers, who believed it focused on the negatives of the Benalla competition.
Muraca said no Benalla and District club had yet made a formal application to join the Ovens and King league.
"Now it's a matter of waiting to see what the Benalla clubs are going to do," he said.
"Of course, they're probably waiting until the VCFL finishes its review.
"But one thing we know is we don't want this process to be long and drawn out.
"Our clubs want to know by the end of this season who's joining our league so we can plan for the future."
TATONG Football Club will seek to join the Ovens and King league next year.
The struggling Magpies held a "Save our Feathers" meeting last week to determine its future after the Benalla and District league winds up this year.
Tatong, plagued by a shortage of players, has forfeited one senior and three reserves matches this season.
But president Hayden Croot said the club was determined to keep its identity.
"We held a vote and the outcome was to make an application to the Ovens and King league and to also hold some initial talks with other clubs about a possible merger," Croot said.
"People who have been around the club for a long time would hate to see it go that way (merge), but even some of the strong clubs up this way are talking about having to do it.
"Being on the bottom of the ladder in the seniors certainly doesn't help," he said.
Croot said he had already spoken to "a couple of other presidents" about the possibility of a merger.
"I've just been touching base with people and they're all willing to talk," he said.
Benalla and District league general manager Sandy Thomas, also an administrator of the Ovens and King league through the North East Football Hub, said Tatong should consider a merger with an existing Ovens and King club.
"I know of at least two clubs in the Ovens and King who would do something for them," Thomas said.
"Then their history wouldn't be lost."