The two clubs within the Corowa Cluster which have been party to recent talks driven by AFL North-East Border met face-to-face on Wednesday night and expect to catch-up again soon as crippling numbers of junior players hit home in the off-season.

CDHBU didn’t field an under-17 team this year and recently stepped back from an alliance with Ovens and Murray league club, Corowa-Rutherglen, which has committed to fielding seniors and reserves teams in 2018.

Wahgunyah president Darryl Hore said merger talk was premature, but confirmed the clubs did meet and discuss their futures this week.

“We’re definitely taking to them,” he said.

“People through these cluster talks realise there are not enough numbers to support four teams in the area.

‘The big thing is the juniors.”

CDHBU president Jarrod Hanrahan stepped down from the role at the club’s recent annual meeting and has been replaced by Chris Scott.

Scott said he “didn’t want to jump the gun”, but conceded clubs had to take control of a difficult situation.

“We all know something has to change,” he said.

“It is all about junior numbers and if someone doesn’t take any action someone else will.”

Another source said: “It is on like donkey kong”.

Even though merger talks are at an embryonic stage, agreements will need to be reached on club name, colours, split on where home matches are played, netball and what league a merged entity would play in.

CDHBU has been a regular finalist in the Hume league in recent season before missing September action this year.

Wahgunyah played finals in the Tallangatta and District league for the first time since 2011 this year.

AFL NEB general manager John O’Donohue said mergers were always on the agenda in the Corowa area.

“We encourage clubs to commence and or continue merger discussions for the prosperity of AFL,” he said.

“It is vital that each club’s membership acknowledge the necessity for significant change in the Corowa Cluster area with individual club management committees needing to be supported as advocates for change.”

TALE OF TWO CLUBS

WAHGUNYAH

(Post World War II)

1947 – Club reformed and re- joined the Coreen & District League

1950 – Chiltern & DFL re-commenced and Wahygunyah re-joined

1957 –  Wahgunyah returned to Coreen FL

2007 – Coreen FL disbanded at end of 2007

2008 – Wahgunyah joined Tallangatta and District Football League

COREEN-DAYSDALE-HOPEFIELD-BURAJA-UNITED

(Post World War II)

1946 – Hopefield reformed

1948 – Hopefield-Buraja merger

1995 – Coreen and Daysdale merged

2003 – Hopefield-Buraja went into recess

2006 – Coreen-Daysdale and Hopefield-Buraja joined in a merger

2006-07 – CDHBU won back-to-back premierships in the Coreen league