The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League officially became a nine-team competition on Monday night after Corowa-Rutherglen confirmed it would not field senior football or netball sides this year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Roos members voted to withdraw from the 2023 season after a mass player exodus on both the football oval and netball court left the club with little choice.
It will be the first time in the merged club's 44-year history that it won't have football representation in the competition.
A vote was held at Corowa Civic Bowls Club and received 55 in favour of the board's motion to reset in 2024, while just one person opposed it.
That was added to 29 postal votes in favour and one proxy vote against.
At least 75 per cent of the vote - 44 votes on the night - needed to be in favour of the decision for it to stand, which was comfortably reached.
"Personally, I'm shattered," president Graham Hosier said.
"As a board, we'll move forward and try to do our best.
"Whilst we don't yet know what 2024 will look like, the work has already begun on mapping this out.
"All options are on the table.
"We will look at all avenues of continuing this great club as we are, however we must be open to all options available for the greater good of football and netball in the region."
The Roos plan to maintain a presence in the league through C-grade, 17-and-under and 15-and-under netball this season.
The vote came just over three weeks after a meeting revealed the extent of the player shortages at John Foord Oval.
Only nine open-age footballers were left at the club, coach Steve Owen revealed, while every A-grade and B-grade netballer other than coach Sophie Hanrahan had also moved on.
"We need to respect our own members, the Ovens and Murray FNL, players who had committed to us, and of course respect the other local clubs in our area and their own seasons," Hosier said of a possible merger.
"The position we are in cannot be taken lightly and there are a lot of scenarios and conversations that will need to take place.
"We are open to all of these and plan to continue to deliver open communication to our members on what has been formally discussed and agreed as it happens."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News.
Steve Tervet
Beau Greenway
Beau Greenway is a journalist at The Border Mail. He likes to tell the stories of great people in our communities. Email: beau.greenway@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Beau Greenway is a journalist at The Border Mail. He likes to tell the stories of great people in our communities. Email: beau.greenway@austcommunitymedia.com.au
