Change is coming for the region’s football

New Football Netball League to be formed for 2024

It has not been done before but the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is determined to create an exciting new competition as the restructure of football in this region takes its first steps into a new era.

The SA Football Commission has endorsed final recommendations from the South East Working Group, with the immediate creation of a new Limestone Coast Football Netball League to replace Western Border Football League for 2024 and a more significant competition restructure flagged for 2025.

The new Limestone Coast Football Netball League will start as a six-team competition in 2024, expanding to an eight-team competition in 2025, with a current Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara club and a current Mid South East club set to be added in 2025.

SANFL Head of Community Football Shawn Ford said the working group had listened and taken onboard local stakeholder feedback following the first round of recommendations which, balanced with population and participation data, resulted in the latest recommendations being endorsed.

“The working group is committed to achieving a sustainable outcome for football and netball in the South East region and these recommendations provide the necessary change while minimising club disruption,” Ford said.

“It is the first time community football has been involved in a restructure like this and now that this latest decision has been made there is a lot of work that needs to be done and done as soon as possible.”

The Head of Community Football was at pains to point out the establishment of the Limestone Coast Football Netball League was so much more than a new name and was a project that would be a few years in the making as the new league takes shape.

“We are looking at rebranding, new age groups, new governance and just want to set up a competition that other clubs look at and want to be a part of,” Ford said. “Every other region is queuing up because the need for change is being faced across the State so getting this right is really critical for us as everyone is watching.”

The outcomes follow ongoing consultation and engagement with local leagues and clubs since the working group made its initial recommendations.

The South East Working Group will be sidelined again as the nuts and bolts of a league change gets underway with experienced local football administrator Scott Duncan set to take the lead with governance issues.

Both the Western Border Football League and Western Border Netball Association now need to work through winding up their affairs before East Gambier, West Gambier, Millicent, North Gambier, Casterton Sandford and South Gambier then move full steam ahead on creating the Limestone Coast Football Netball League.

Needless to say, the hard work has barely begun with Ford set to be an even more regular visitor to the region as he helps walk the clubs through setting up the new competition.

“This is all about sustainability for football and netball in the region for many years to come,” he said.