Country football is facing plenty of challenges with the Upper Murray in dire trouble with dwindling numbers. AFL NEB chief John O'Donohue spoke to The Border Mail's BRETT KOHLHAGEN this week about the hurdles ahead.
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BK: How concerned are you about the future of the Upper Murray?
JO: It's probably at a crisis point and the crossroads now. Our concern is not so much about the league or what it's known as or anything like that but more providing footy for the people in the Upper Murray. We met with the clubs two weeks ago and some of those clubs are really committed to providing footy in their communities. Our preference is to maintain an Upper Murray Football Netball League and have requested some feedback from the clubs so we can frame up some modeling to what it may look like. The alternatives aren't really that great for footy in general because there is a flow-on affect every time you make changes. We need to be a little more innovative as well.
BK: The league has proven to be very resilient over the years hasn't it
JO: I think Gordon Nicholas closed the meeting the other night by saying we have had four clubs in the past. They are pretty resilient. The footy is one side and the netball is one side but community engagement is a really important aspect of it as well.
BK: Does the Upper Murray's location complicate the situation?
JO: It does. Talking to some of the clubs the challenge of getting players to travel is becoming more and more difficult. The availability of players is becoming harder so there is a greater reliance on regional centres particularly Albury-Wodonga and Wangaratta. To drive to the Upper Murray you can probably drive to 25 or 30 other clubs before you get there so distance for them is a challenge in recruiting players and sustaining a competition.
BK: Do you think the AFL NEB could provide other concessions for outlying clubs?
JO: Over the past couple of years we have tried to be as accommodating and flexible as we can so they can sustain a competition. If you at look at the juniors for example, the minimum number for a game is 14 and they have been playing nine-a-side. We have provided a three-year catchment of players but there are limitations to what we can endorse that is safe as well. We have worked with the locals as much as we can while still providing a reasonable framework.
BK: These 280-point losses aren't a great look are they?
JO: Unfortunately that's how it is. If you look at the Upper Murray, Corryong was a recipient of one of those hidings a couple of weeks ago but it was only 18 months ago they celebrated a premiership. Things can turn around both ways really quickly in a six-team competition like the Upper Murray.
BK: Is there a time frame for when you want to have a plan in place for 2020?
JO: If there are any significant changes a fair bit of planning needs to go into it. We are meeting with the clubs again in mid-June and asking them for feedback on what their club's position is on sustainability, minimum standards to sustain a competition and some initiatives we have spoken about to keep the game interesting and relevant in those areas. Once we have collated that we will go back and continue discussions. I would think by mid-season we would like to have a direction for next year.
MORE ON THE FUTURE OF THE UPPER MURRAY
BK: Are you a fan of mergers in general?
JO: Because we can see some of the trends and challenges, we encourage clubs to look at what their futures may look like. Clubs would be naive to think they can just go on and the footy cycle will turn around. Organised sport is facing challenges in maintaining its participation and footy is no different to that. We have enjoyed a privileged position for a really long time but at the same time footy has evolved over 100 years and we have probably been immune to it a little bit here. You have seen a bit in the Hume league but in the North-East we have really only seen the merger of Corowa-Rutherglen and we have been relatively protected from significant change but the reality is we are facing that scenario now. We would encourage all clubs to look at what their options are as a stand alone club and merged entity.
BK: Netball is another big factor isn't it as most clubs are generally in good positions with player numbers?
JO: I think the Upper Murray may actually have more netballers playing than footballers in 2019. It's a similar number anyway. Netballers are such an important fabric of footy-netball clubs. Unfortunately if you reduce the number of footy teams, it 's a different environment for the netballers. It's definitely a challenge we are facing.
BK: AFL NEB has been criticised by some over the years for not driving change hard enough, is that fair?
JO: We can enforce change and we have done that in the Ovens and King and Benalla areas before. Change is difficult. If we are going to implement significant change, it has to be for the betterment of the game. We need clubs to be a part of that change. There is always an emotional element to footy. We need a collaboration between all levels of the game as well or it simply won't work. If you don't have clubs supporting the concept, it's going to fail. It will fall over.
BK: What are your thoughts on Bullioh's push to join the Tallangatta and District league?
JO: There is a process they need to go through. We have spoken and will meet again in a couple of weeks time. The process is quite difficult because you have to align everything. There are lots of consequences in does it assist the league they are going to and what are the consequences to the league they are leaving. Bullioh is entitled to go through the process. There are never any guarantees though and they know that.
BK: How you do think the salary cap and player points system is working in the North East?
JO: The system will always have sceptics but I think we have seen a slight changing of the guard in some of the competitions in regards to competitiveness. There are some challenges still associated with it but we continue to monitor those and make adjustments. We look back three or four years in the Ovens and Murray and the average spend was over $200,000 and that's down significantly now. I think we are seeing the impacts. We have always said that in isolation the player points system won't do too much, but collectively the points and salary cap will assist clubs and their viability.
BK: What's the latest with the Corowa Cluster?
JO: There hasn't been much change at all. We have been disappointed to be honest with the way it's panned out. Two AFL governance structures operate along the Border and we are working with the AFL and AFL-NSW on ensuring the best structure going forward for the game but as a consequence we don't think we have achieved the best outcome in the Corowa Cluster. It has continued to place those clubs under pressure.
BK: What is your biggest worry in regards to country football?
JO: Probably that clubs won't recognise the need for change and be prepared for the trends ahead of us. Anyone who has followed the game knows what the issues are and that the landscape is not what it used to be. We need to plan for the future and be proactive.
BK: Thanks, John.