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PLAYERS from the Benalla area could be lost to the game altogether after the club was voted out of the Albury-Wodonga Football Association.
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At an extraordinary annual general meeting in Albury on Sunday night, fully affiliated clubs voted 8-42 in favour of throwing the Rovers out of the Border and North East competition.
The Rovers didn’t have a senior team this year, but fielded six grades - reserve men, reserve women, division three men, under-14 girls, under-13 boys and under-11 boys.
As it stands, Benalla doesn’t have a league to compete in next season.
Benalla president John Love said his club now had two options - submit a new application for the AWFA, or apply for the Shepparton-based Goulburn North East league.
“We’re financially stable, we’ve got good facilities and players that want to play next year,” Love said.
“Benalla’s been a club for 61 years, probably an older club than most in AWFA.
“It’s not always easy but our executive is committed to providing an opportunity for their children to play the game.”
Cobram’s bid to re-join the AWFA for the first time since 2006 also fell on deaf ears.
The club received two more votes than it did at the same vote last year, but the count of 19-31 wasn’t enough for the Roar.
The affiliated AWFA clubs were allowed five votes each, while each executive and life members were also able to vote – if they were at the meeting.
But the AWFA door remains ajar.
The Border Mail believes Benalla and Cobram can submit written applications to re-join the league, which would then be put to a vote.
The affiliated clubs would only get one vote each this time - not five - and each executive would get a vote.
No life members would get a say.
After failing to re-gain entry to the AWFA last year, Cobram went on to win the GNEFA final 1-0 against Tatura in 2015.
Just five clubs compete in the GNEFA’s senior men’s competition, while the AWFA has 11.