FEEDBACK from clubs will drive the future of Jelbart Park as the semi and cup final venue for Border soccer, says outgoing AWFA president Craig McDonald.
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More than 3000 people went through the gate at Sunday’s cup final to watch 14 deciders from under 11 boys and women to over 35 men.
It followed the previous weekend when similar numbers turned out for a semi-final double header at the same venue.
It was the first year that AWFA has trialled Jelbart Park as the central venue for both weeks.
Prior to that the semi-finals had been split between Myrtleford and Wangaratta, the cup alternating between Jelbart Park and LaTrobe in Wodonga.
McDonald said the plan was to trial this year’s system for at least four or five years.
“But we’re not a dictatorship and if the feedback is that it’s not working, that something needs to be tweaked then we will look into it,” he said.
“There is an executive meeting in October and if the clubs need to, we will ask them to go away and discuss the matter and return with feedback for the next meeting.
“As president I heard positives and negatives but at the end of the day we were very happy.
“We had people five to eight deep on either side of the pitch for the men’s division 1 final and a pretty solid contingent behind the goal.
“Security didn’t have any issues with people and the fact that we had all three men’s grand finals go into extra time — two to penalty shoot-outs — was a testament to the game here on the Border.”
McDonald said the central venue had created a carnival feel.
“I know others were of the opinion that it lacked atmosphere but with all the games going on the stream of people felt more like a carnival,” he said.
