MDFL boss Ruth Brain said Victorian football officials had listened to bush leagues.
TWO south-west league bosses have backed changes to the governance of grassroots football in the region.
Warrnambool and District Football Netball League (WDFNL) president Justin Balmer said the changes returned decision-making power to people in country areas.
His comments echoed those of Mininera District Football League (MDFL) boss Ruth Brain, who said Victorian football officials had listened to bush leagues.
Under the changes, AFL Victoria will set up 13 independent commissions to govern football in country Victoria.
The commissions, which will respond to AFL Victoria, will be responsible for long-term decision-making to ensure the health of football in the regions. Their establishment was one of 25 recommendations contained in an AFL Victoria-led review of country football.
The Victorian Country Football League confirmed its support for the bulk, but not all, of the recommendations.
The support provides a green light for their implementation from November 1. But a central administration hub (CAH) to manage the day-to-day running of leagues will not exist in south-west Victoria.
The review team wanted to establish CAHs across the state, arguing they would “reduce the administration cost and effort of all leagues”.
But, in a move Brain described as a “U-turn”, administration and league-specific decisions in the south-west will remain with the current league executives.
The move to disband a CAH in the south-west won support from Balmer and Brain, whose leagues had actively campaigned against a hub.
“We harked up very seriously about it. We had a lot of concerns about that structure being in place down here because of the money and the way it was to be controlled and run,” Balmer said.
“The (new) proposal we had presented last Wednesday was totally different to the way Ballarat and Geelong run their hubs.
“We’re very happy.”
Brain said the uncertainty over the cost to leagues and clubs of having a CAH in the south-west sparked the MDFL’s opposition.
“The cost of going into a hub and who was going to account for that shortfall, that scared us,” she said. “Hopefully those questions and worries have been put to bed.
“It’s a much smaller set-up. I was really shocked, but it was good because they had listened to people.”
The 13 commissions will create 30 full-time positions in country areas, including Warrnambool, at a cost to AFL Victoria of $1.8 million a year.
A working party, featuring VCFL, league and umpiring officials, will meet on September 26 to discuss the make-up of the south-west commission.
afawkes@standard.fairfax.com.au
Warrnambool and District Football Netball League (WDFNL) president Justin Balmer said the changes returned decision-making power to people in country areas.
His comments echoed those of Mininera District Football League (MDFL) boss Ruth Brain, who said Victorian football officials had listened to bush leagues.
Under the changes, AFL Victoria will set up 13 independent commissions to govern football in country Victoria.
The commissions, which will respond to AFL Victoria, will be responsible for long-term decision-making to ensure the health of football in the regions. Their establishment was one of 25 recommendations contained in an AFL Victoria-led review of country football.
The Victorian Country Football League confirmed its support for the bulk, but not all, of the recommendations.
The support provides a green light for their implementation from November 1. But a central administration hub (CAH) to manage the day-to-day running of leagues will not exist in south-west Victoria.
The review team wanted to establish CAHs across the state, arguing they would “reduce the administration cost and effort of all leagues”.
But, in a move Brain described as a “U-turn”, administration and league-specific decisions in the south-west will remain with the current league executives.
The move to disband a CAH in the south-west won support from Balmer and Brain, whose leagues had actively campaigned against a hub.
“We harked up very seriously about it. We had a lot of concerns about that structure being in place down here because of the money and the way it was to be controlled and run,” Balmer said.
“The (new) proposal we had presented last Wednesday was totally different to the way Ballarat and Geelong run their hubs.
“We’re very happy.”
Brain said the uncertainty over the cost to leagues and clubs of having a CAH in the south-west sparked the MDFL’s opposition.
“The cost of going into a hub and who was going to account for that shortfall, that scared us,” she said. “Hopefully those questions and worries have been put to bed.
“It’s a much smaller set-up. I was really shocked, but it was good because they had listened to people.”
The 13 commissions will create 30 full-time positions in country areas, including Warrnambool, at a cost to AFL Victoria of $1.8 million a year.
A working party, featuring VCFL, league and umpiring officials, will meet on September 26 to discuss the make-up of the south-west commission.
afawkes@standard.fairfax.com.au
