Federal netball sides unlikely to play this year because club can't field a senior football side

Unable to field a senior football side, Federal's request to play on with reserves only was turned down.

And now the netball courts, like the footy oval, are likely to sit empty in 2022.

"Federal do have netball sides but our constitution states that to enter the competition, you have to have a senior (football) side," Upper Murray league operations manager Nadia Edwards said.

"We work on a voting system so I sent out letters to everybody and I wanted them to respond in letter form.

"The presidents of each club went back to their committees so I got letters from them either Thursday night or Friday morning and the majority have said they need Federals to field a senior side.

"The reason is they're getting players thinking they're coming for 12 games and without Federal in the competition, it means they're only getting nine games and that's only one more game than they got last year during the COVID pandemic."

The league has committed to playing round one this weekend, with Corryong hosting Bullioh and Cudgewa facing Tumbarumba on Saturday.

Upper Murray officials will then meet with Federal on Anzac Day to see if they can find a way forward.

"Being told we can't participate in the league at all, including netball, we've got an even bigger hurdle to jump now," co-president Craig Sheather said.

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"We've been in contact with AFL North East Border and are going to appeal."

Edwards stressed Federal wasn't the only Upper Murray club struggling for numbers although she did express sympathy for the netballers who had been gearing up to play.

"It would be very unfair but at the end of the day, I have to wear my league hat and I don't get a vote," Edwards said.

"I have to support the majority of the clubs.

"At the moment, there are four clubs that want to go ahead so I will always sit with the majority because I have to represent all of them.

"Every club in the league has been in this position.

"Corryong, I know, is a struggling club.

"They've been able to field a reserve side but it has meant that many weeks players are doubling up.

"I guess Federals are wanting to prevent that but this is what started to happen with Border-Walwa.

"They pulled the pin in the end and went into recess because they couldn't field a side.

"It's not nice sitting at the bottom when you're getting humbled every week.

"I am hopeful (a solution can be found for Federal).

"My club is Corryong but my grandfather was president of Federal and my uncle is the co-president of Federal.

"You've got this club that has played with a lot of pride for a long time and you don't want to see it die.

"The more clubs you have in a competition, the more viable and enjoyable it is for all the players.

"It becomes not very enjoyable when you can't field teams; it becomes very hard work."

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