North Ballarat Rebels’ alignment has widened to include Corangamite Shire, ending Geelong Falcons’ association with the region.

All Hampden and Warrnambool and District clubs will fall under North Ballarat Rebels’ umbrella from 2015, as will a number of Corangamite Shire-based Mininera and District league clubs.

North Ballarat Rebels talent manager Phil Partington officially announced the changes in Camperdown yesterday alongside AFL Victoria high performance manager Leon Harris and AFL Western District region general manager Lachy Patterson.

The Rebels will have satellite training bases in Camperdown, Warrnambool, Hamilton, Horsham and Ballarat.

Partington said 50 players — 25 under 18s and 25 under 16s — would do pre-season training at Leura Oval under coaches Matt Harkin and Brett Taylor.

Respected south-west football identity Bernie Harris will be squad co-ordinator.

Other players will also do pre-season training at the Warrnambool base.

The Rebels will select a squad of 48 players from their five under 18 bases for the 2015 TAC Cup list.

Partington said the Rebels were thrilled more south-west footballers would have access to their elite training program.

“It makes our job harder to select the final squad but it gives a wonderful opportunity for the boys to showcase their talents as well,” he said.

The Rebels’ association with the south-west started in 2008 when it took over the City of Warrnambool and Moyne Shire areas.

It meant the Hampden and Warrnambool and District league clubs were split between the Rebels and the Falcons. 

Partington said planning to expand the Rebels’ footprint in the area started two years ago.

“From the presentation we were given on the zoning, the Ballarat region starts at Ballan and goes all the way to the South Australian border and we had by far the lowest population and growth rate out of all the TAC Cup clubs,” Partington said.

“So if things weren’t done in the next 10, 15 years, the TAC Cup in this area might have fallen away and not too many kids would have been given an opportunity to play TAC Cup.

“It has been in the background slowly working all the time and we’ve had great support from the Geelong Falcons, as well through Mick Turner to learn about this area and what he’s done in the past and from the great coaches as well.

“Probably the past two years we’ve been working steadily through it and the last six to eight months we’ve worked a bit harder.”

Harris, a former Kolora player, said the move was a positive for south-west football.

“We are looking forward to a fantastic outcome. It certainly does give players better opportunities,” he said. “I know when I coached Vic Country for 10 years (we found) a Ben Cunnington, a Luke Thompson, and then you’ve got Gary Rohan — talented players have come from this region.”