Cats denied again

SANFL pushes any change to 2024 football season

 

SANFL has denied a second request from Casterton Sandford Football & Netball Club to join the Mid South Eastern Football League and will now move forward with establishing a working group to implement a change of structure for football in the South East beyond season 2023.

The decision, endorsed last weekby the South Australian Football Commission, was again based on recommendations provided by an independent Investigation Committee which reviewed the second application from the club to transfer from Western Border Football League to the MSEFL.

Work on the formation of new competition structures in the region will commence immediately with the SANFL calling for nominations for the Working Group. SANFL executive general manager football Matt Duldig said SANFL’s decision to not approve a second application from Casterton-Sandford to join the MSEFL took into consideration the wide-ranging impact of football across the entire South East region.

“The ramifications of such a move had not changed since the original application from Casterton Sandford was received and would trigger an immediate change to competition structures in the region,” Mr Duldig said.

“Therefore, the transfer application could again not be considered in isolation, but as a bigger picture for the future of football in the South East.” Mr Duldig said the commission again acknowledged that change was needed in the region and that any application for transfer under similar conditions submitted in 2023 would be accepted.

He said at this stage, a revised 15-team competition was the preferred model for implementation in 2024 and this would be the focus for the Working Group once established.
‘We know many clubs are struggling and need assistance with junior and teenage player numbers, attracting and retaining volunteers as well as umpire retention,” he said.
“Significant change for the region is coming, which is why a target for the 2024 season is more achievable.”