Smythesdale has requested a move to the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League in a bid to ensure the club’s longevity.
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The Bulldogs are hoping to make the move as of next season. It has until July 31 to inform the Central Highlands Football League of its intention, which it has done so, and from August 1 can apply for a clearance from the CHFL.
In terms of the MCDFL, its 14 clubs will have an opportunity to vote on the potential inclusion once an application to join the league has been submitted.
The Bulldogs have endured a well-documented struggle in recent years in the Central Highlands Football League.
It joined the league in 2011 as Illabarook after the Lexton Plains Football League folded, the club rebranded to Smythesdale in 2014. It won just one match between 2011 and 2015. In 2016, it won two matches, but still finished second last with an average losing margin of 109 points.
In a bid to give the club time to get some key criteria in order, AFL Goldfields allowed Smythesdale to field only a reserves team in 2017, and once again in 2018.
The hope was that without the pressure to field and perform at a senior level, it would allow the Bulldogs to focus on attracting players, gaining sponsors – simply stand on its own feet as a club.
However, Smythesdale president John Cranny told The Courier on Tuesday that after much discussion, it had decided that moving leagues was the best option for the club’s long-term future.
Cranny said the current side was simply not up to the CHFL’s senior standard, while financially the club was out of its depth in terms of paying players to either join the club, or retain them.
“We’re just not at the level. The Central Highlands is a strong league and our current playing list, netball and football, struggles in the senior department,” Cranny said.
“If we were in Maryborough, I think we’d be at least in the middle (of the ladder) and be in a position to attract people.
We’ve been down too long, it’s a matter of doing something so we can have some success.
- Smythesdale president John Cranny
“We’ve been down too long, it’s a matter of doing something so we can have some success.”
Cranny conceded that geographically the MCDFL could provide “a challenge”, particularly for parents of some of its juniors.
While the Mininera Football League was floated as a possibility, it only has one junior grade (under-16.5), whereas Maryborough has three – Smythesdale currently fields an under-18, 15 and 12 team.
Cranny added regardless of what league it finds itself in in 2019 it intends to field a senior team.
AFL Goldfields Regional General Manager Rod Ward praised the club for identifying what it needs to do in order to become a “sustainable” club.
“They’d be the first to admit that they couldn’t keep going the way they are going – change is required. But we need to engage all stakeholders in this process now and that will include seeking the views of the Maryborough clubs,” Ward said.
“Every club has to consistently look at what they’re doing and determine what is going to suit their members and give them the best chance of a sustainable future. So good on Smythesdale for identifying that for them to have a sustainable future they need to change leagues.”
Central Highlands Football League president Eddy Comelli said he fully supported whatever was in the club’s best interest.
“As we always have, we’ll support every club in our competition as to whatever they want to do,” Comelli said.
“It’s up to the clubs to decide what they want to do to progress their lot in the football world, if they choose to go in that direction then we’ll support them.”
Meanwhile, Smythesdale will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Illabarook 1988 senior and reserves premiership triumph next Saturday when it hosts Daylesford at Smythesdale Recreation Reserve after the bye.