A brand new football/netball league involving clubs from the Central Highlands and Maryborough Castlemaine District competitions is one of the shock recommendations from AFL Goldfields’ senior review.
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AFL Goldfields has spent the past three days presenting the findings of its review, which has included surveys and interviews with clubs and league and umpiring bodies throughout the region.
Among the draft recommendations is the establishment of a new Goldfields District Football Netball League.
This is planned to include existing Central Highlands clubs
- Creswick
- Clunes
- Carngham-Linton
- Rokewood-Corindhap
- Learmonth
- Newlyn
- Skipton
- Smythesdale
- Maryborough Castlemaine District clubs Trentham and Lexton
It is stated that the competition won’t start until 2019 “unless there is a majority” of clubs that want to commence in 2018.
The draft report has also recommended that Ballarat league club Sebastopol transfers to the Central Highlands league for next season.
Following the formation of the Goldfields District FNL, the Central Highlands league would then be made up of:
- Sebastopol
- Buninyong
- Hepburn
- Gordon
- Bungaree
- Springbank
- Daylesford
- Ballan
- Dunnstown
- Waubra
- Beaufort
- Carisbrook
It is also mooted that Carisbrook considers joining the Central Highlands competition in the short-medium term.
The Ballarat league is set to have ongoing discussions with Buninyong and Rupertswood (Riddell District) about the possibility of those clubs shifting to that competition.
There is also strong support across the region for the introduction of a netball player points policy and umpires pool.
Clubs, leagues and umpiring associations are now invited to provide feedback on the draft report and its large number of recommendations up until close of business on September 15.
The review’s working party will consider feedback and then release a final report in late October.
Below is the full presentation given by AFL Goldfields this week.