The Ovens and Murray league club had only seven players on its books when Tristan Purss had to concede the Alpine Saints would leave the competition one team short and create a bye for their nine rivals.

“We did everything we could at the time to get a team up,” he said.

“But I’m super embarrassed every game I’ve gone to and hate going to games when there are no kids running around playing football.

“It is a kick in the guts every single week, but I just can’t wait for next season to start.”

The excitement and hope Purss is feeling is coming from a wave of talent not seen in the Ovens Valley for decades with the club’s under-16, under-14 and under-12 teams all finishing minor premiers at the end of the Wangaratta junior league home and away season last weekend.

The under-16s includes three players, Ryley Bouker, Declan Bren and Dominic Bedendo, who have kicked 70, 69 and 53 goals respectively.

Bouker also booted three goals in a promising senior debut earlier this season.

Darcy Chellew, Will Quirk and Will Shem, who were among the boys left without a team when the under-18s had to bow out, have stepped up to be regular senior players.

Another junior eligible for under-18s, Max Stevens, unfortunately dislocated his knee cap in round one.

They have been green shoots in an otherwise long season for the Alpine Saints, who like many clubs in the region are battling to find enough players to fill teams.

Purss has even had to pull on the boots and play.

“Clubs are struggling for numbers and we’ve struggled for numbers as well in our seniors and reserves sides this year,” he said.

“But a lot of credit has to go to the great work of our junior club who recognised we were very short of players and went back as far as Auskick and did a lot of work.

“We’ve got a boom period coming up where we’ve got massive numbers and quality players coming through.

“We just hope we can enjoy some success.”

O and M chairman David Sinclair welcomed the Alpine Saints under-18s return in 2019.

“It’s imperative for not only Myrtleford, but the overall health of football in the Alpine region that there is access to the O and M under-age competition as pathway to O and M senior football,” he said.

“To that end we look forward to welcoming Myrtleford back into the thirds competition next year.”

Meanwhile, the region’s elite under-18s team, the Murray Bushrangers will be playing in a revamped competition next season.

The AFL confirmed yesterday the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast, Northern Territory, Sydney, Greater Western Sydney and Tassie Mariners will join a national under-18s league including the Bushrangers.