Wangaratta Juniors accept Benalla and Mansfield
The Wangaratta District Junior Football League has accepted the applications from both Benalla and Mansfield to enter the competition from 2014.
The transfer, officially approved by AFL North East Border on Wednesday night, will see the league expand to 11 clubs in both Under 14 and Under 16’s and is seen as a positive step towards addressing the participation trends in junior football in the Benalla and Mansfield areas.
AFL NEB Leagues Manager, Glenn Finlayson said that the WDJFL clubs embraced the new teams despite the challenges presented with ground availability, travel and scheduling. “From a Regional perspective, we wanted to ensure that the decision was in the best interest of football in the Region, not just Benalla and Mansfield and therefore we were thorough in providing opportunity for existing clubs to be part of the decision making process”
“We were also very mindful that with the travel and distances now involved in the WDJFL, that there are challenges and risks for which we have established provisions” Finlayson said.
Whilst the clubs have been accepted, there will be conditions that stringent annual reviews and monitoring be conducted to assess the impacts and influences of what is significant growth of the league. “We are hopeful that the inclusion of Benalla into a vibrant junior competition will assist in addressing the negative trends currently being experienced. Should we have success in that respect, we have to be aware of what further growth in team numbers may means and have contingencies already in place”
With the draw not expected to be completed until early 2014, Benalla will field 2 under 14 and 2 under 16 teams whilst Mansfield will filed 1 team in each division. “Ideally both Benalla and Mansfield hoped to continue in their existing format, however, it became untenable during 2013 with only 3 teams in their A Division, prompting the transfer to Wangaratta”.
“We have accepted the new teams and welcome them into the league and anticipate, in time, this will assist to create an additional Under 18 team from the Benalla district for which we have a vision as identified in the OKFNL Review” Finlayson said. “AFL NEB and the WDJFL have had policies in place which have assisted the growth of the junior player numbers in Wangaratta and will look to implement those in Benalla as part of our overall plans for the Region”.
With current number projections in Benalla expected to only provide minimum numbers for the 2 under 16 teams, Finlayson confirmed that the development and establishment of the teams entering the WDJFL were of the highest priority and that rumours of additional junior teams being created in other leagues were unlikely.
For further details contact:
Glenn Finlayson
03 5722 1993
Last Modified on 11/05/2015 15:57