ANGRY Hampden league clubs are weighing up a legal appeal against recommendations in a junior football review as the sport’s top body refuses to budge despite urgent talks.
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The united Hampden league group – headed by South Warrnambool president Steve Harris – on Thursday confirmed it was “exploring avenues of appeal” against every recommendation in the AFL Western District junior review. The most contentious changes are mandatory 16-a-side games with five bench players instead of 18 and three and junior lists capped at 26.
Clubs met with AFL Western District for crisis talks on Wednesday, eight days after the league’s 11 presidents submitted a letter to the body which outlined their concerns with the review.
But the talks ended with no resolution.
Mr Harris said the group remained united in its opposition to the changes and felt the recommendations would drive children away from the sport and into inactivity.
“We’re totally against these changes and feel they’re to the detriment of football and participation,” he said.
“We’re exploring how we could go about appealing at the moment – we’re looking at how we go through that process.
“It’s a major concern. We’re trying to promote football and netball with participation and we believe the recommendations are, as a whole, fundamentally wrong.”
Despite several requests, AFL Western District failed to formally respond to questions.
