By Marcus Uhe
Emerald, Officer and Berwick Springs will all make the leap to the Outer East Football Netball League’s Premier Division next season while Gembrook Cockatoo will hold its place as part of an expanded 12-team competition in 2024.
The move is one of the final recommendations of the League’s Competition Structure Review project, completed in late-September, as three senior divisions become two.
In a memo from league Chief Executive Brett Connell distributed to league football and netball clubs and the Yarra Rangers Umpire Association, the decision to increase the top division from nine teams to 12 was to justified as a means of providing clubs with “surety in terms of competition structure, protection from major disruption and with a firm focus on establishing competition stability.”
“While a 10 (team) Premier competition was the preferred model from club findings, the Board took a longer-term strategic approach in their view, following strong club feedback at the February AGM related to providing competition stability,” Connell said.
“It is the Board’s position that we will transition to a 10 (team) Premier competition when we have a clearer position on the movement of clubs.”
Division One will field 11 teams, but may revert to 10, pending the outcome of Broadford’s application to join the Kyabram District Football Netball League.
The overwhelming desire of clubs to participate in a same day football/netball model, meanwhile, will see the standalone Berwick and Beaconsfield Netball Clubs recommended to join another competition for 12 months to allow the Outer East to “fully explore alternative options for 2024 and for the future,” according to the structural review.
Those clubs will still have the option of competing in the league’s junior netball competition for 2024, should they choose to do so.
Other key recommendations from the review include:
– Junior netball will be offered again by Outer East Football Netball
– The development of a strategic plan, including an Umpiring Strategy, a Women and Girls Strategy for the future growth of girls and women’s football, and support at junior football and netball levels through the partnership with AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria
– A structure for the Veteran’s competition to be confirmed early in 2024
– A restructure of junior football age groups from six boys/mixed competitions to seven, and from three girls competitions to five, with the inclusion of Under 18s and Under 10s for girls football
– A hybrid Third Grade of football with Under 18s and Under 19s competitions offered, with clubs able to field teams in either, or both, competitions
2024 SENIOR FOOTBALL AND NETBALL DIVISIONS
PREMIER DIVISION: Narre Warren, Woori Yallock, Wandin, Olinda Ferny Creek, Monbulk, Pakenham, Upwey Tecoma, Mt Evelyn, Gembrook Cockatoo, Emerald, Berwick Springs, Officer/ROC.
DIVISION ONE: Seville, Healesville, Belgrave, Hallam, Powelltown, Yarra Junction, Warburton Millgrove, Alexandra, Broadford, Yarra Glen, Yea.
