COBRAM’S long-running push to join the Albury-Wodonga Football Association has continued.
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Both the Roar and Benalla Rovers again made bids to join the competition to association clubs and the AWFA executive on Monday night.
Clubs were given seven days to consult their members before re-convening for a final vote, to be held on Monday night.
Each club and member of the executive will cast one vote each.
Cobram Roar chairman Greg Ryan said the club was keen to find a home in the AWFA, after being one of just five teams to compete in the Goulburn North East Football Association last season.
“We think we’re a good, quality club for the AWFA,” he said.
“Joining the AWFA means more teams, more competition.
“With only five teams in the GNEFA, there was just too much down time.
“At the end of the day, our club is just looking for a home.
“We’ve made our case, now all we can do is wait and see what comes out of it, and hope for a positive result.”
The Roar previously attempted to join the AWFA after the merger between Cobram and Cobram Victory in July last year.
That bid was knocked back by a 35-17 vote last December.
AWFA president Jacqui Finlay said that while the executive would be able to vote independently, they did have a responsibility to follow the lead taken by their member clubs.
We’ve made our case, now all we can do is wait and see what comes out of it, and hope for a positive result.
- Greg Ryan
“We really don’t know which way it will go,” she said.
“Cobram put forward a good presentation on Monday night, and Benalla spoke from the heart as well.
“At the end of the day, we’re meant to be growing the sport.
“It’s about getting kids playing soccer, it’s about getting players to our clubs.
“We want to grow our competition and ensure that it moves forward.”
The Rovers did’t field any senior teams in the 2015 competition, and were left on the AWFA scrapheap in November after the affiliated clubs and the executive voted them out of the competition 42-8.