While Ovens and Murray clubs understand the decision to abandon the senior competition in 2020, it doesn't make it any easier to process it.
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The last time the Ovens and Murray didn't have a season was 1945, but clubs don't want to put a line through every single aspect just yet.
Junior footballers and netballers have become the focus for a number of clubs to ensure the next generation isn't lost to other codes.
Yarrawonga president Ross Mulquiney said the Pigeons have been working hard behind the scenes to form a competition for younger age groups with neighbouring clubs in the district.
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"Ultimately, the Ovens and Murray component is only a part of the Yarrawonga Football Netball Club," Mulquiney said.
"It incorporates 300 or 400 junior Auskickers, our AWJFL teams, our Saturday morning netball teams involving 50 or 60 young girls and also our AFLW teams.
"The Ovens and Murray is only seven teams of another 10 to 12 teams we put out each week.
"As a committee, we're much more focused on providing a great environment for our kids in our community to participate in sport and that's really where our focus will remain.
"Our young kids will be looked after by the natural programs that exist and will continue to run, but that age group from 14 to 18 we were really putting some focus in to get an organised competition between ourselves and the five or six clubs around us."
Wodonga co-president Mauro Stefani said the Bulldogs have put in a request for the league to consider introducing an under-18 netball competition.
"We haven't had any ruling on that, but if we're going to be playing our under-16 girls, why can't we be having an under-18 competition? It possibly won't form part of a premiership season, but it can still be a means of our girls getting together," Stefani said.
"As a young person, you need to have a bit of continuity to your sport for you to improve.
"This actually acts as a pretty good vehicle to allow it to happen.
"We as a board will be sitting down together to discuss the outcome this (Thursday) evening and we'll re-prioritise where our activities go."
Wodonga Raiders president Mark Johnston said his board will also look to explore the option of thirds footballers playing matches, as well as the under-16 netballers.
Financial implications were a concern for some clubs with no certainty around crowd numbers adding more pressure.