Frankston Football Club’s time in the Victorian Football League has come to an end after 51 years as AFL Victoria indicated it was imminent the Dolphins’ licence to be in the state league would be terminated.
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It is expected the decision will be made official later this week but the outcome is a forgone conclusion.
The club went into voluntary administration a month ago as it entered its round 21 clash against North Ballarat.
The Roosters won the clash by 10 points and avoided the wooden spoon in the process.
Frankston won just two games for the season and with debts exceeding $1 million, it is believed the financial woes combined with the lack of on-field success equated to the decision.
The decision particularly hits home for North Ballarat following the loss of its affiliation to North Melbourne last year and its poor 2016 season which saw it win just three games.
But Roosters coach Marc Greig was emphatic in his support of the club’s current position, he said while being a standalone club was challenging at times he certainly had no concerns about North Ballarat’s future in the competition.
“We don’t sit here petrified of what might happen, we just see it as a challenge,” Greig said.
“But it’s a challenge that everyone’s up for at Rooster level.
“I don’t sit here and think we’re next or anything like that. I see a positive set-up and future for the VFL team in the Ballarat region.”
After 10 years of affiliation with North Melbourne, Greig admits it has been difficult filling the void left by senior AFL players. But scoffed at any suggestion standalone clubs were fighting an uphill battle when it came to survival in the VFL competition.
“Willy (Williamstown) won the flag last year so anyone who says the standalone teams can’t compete is ridiculous.
“We’ve come out of alignment after 10 years so it doesn’t matter if it was us or Willy or Port (Melbourne) – any team would go through the same thing for a start.”
The VFL competition will now have 14 teams in it, with just four standalone clubs remaining – Williamstown, Port Melbourne, Coburg and North Ballarat.