WODONGA Raiders Football-Netball Club is determined not to be relegated to "second cousin" status with its home ground confirmed as the location for a regional cricket training centre.
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Birallee Park was named last week as the location for the facility originally earmarked for Baranduda Fields sporting precinct before being put on hold by Wodonga Council.
Government legislation determines a six-month split on which sport has priority access to venues.
An exact location for the cricket centre within the Birallee Park precinct hasn't been selected yet as the project is still contingent on funding being obtained by the state government.
But Raiders president Gary Knight said his club would be ensuring its future belonged at Birallee Park.
"We are going to be all about protecting the assets that we've built here over the years so we don't become a second cousin so to speak," he said.
"Non-negotiables will be we retain control of the function centre and the buildings we've built.
"But we are not sure whether (cricket) will need to use them or not at this stage.
"Council has assured us to this point in time football will always be at Birallee Park and can't only be a cricket hub."
The Victorian Government had previously committed $650,000 to Baranduda Fields before being moth-balled.
The football-netball club will be invited to join a project working group which includes Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria and Cricket Albury-Wodonga.
Representatives from Wangaratta and Brocklesby cricket associations, Albury and Wodonga councils and Sport and Recreation Victoria are also involved.
CAW chairman Michael Erdeljac said the football-netball club had no cause for concern.
"The main ground will be used during the cricket season," he said.
"From October 1 to March 31, cricket has priority access.
"But the reason why the training centre will be there is for winter programs and everything else.
"If we ever needed access to a ground there is Emerald Oval."
The football club still has access to the main ground during summer months for pre-season training and practice matches.
The cricket centre is expected to be built at the southern end of the Birallee Park precinct with existing cricket nets at the northern end relocated once built.