By Nick Creely
Cranbourne’s future remains up in the air after confirmation from AFL South East that they are unable to lodge an appeal against the outcome of the MPNFL Special General Meeting.
It now means that the club will be unable to join the MPNFL in 2019, leaving them without a home at this stage.
An email sent out to MPNFL clubs and to Cranbourne on Tuesday 4 September stated that “after receiving legal advice from AFL lawyers, Cranbourne were advised that the AFL Victoria Rules do not override the MPNFL Constituion in regards to the admission of new members to the league”.
Originally, the 22 clubs met on 29 August to vote as to whether the Eagles would become a member club, and the Gazette understands they got around 11 votes, or 50 per cent, lower than the 17-5 – or 75 per cent required to bring new clubs into the MPNFL.
As a result, Seaford will be relegated to Division 2 in 2019 and the winner of the Division 2 grand final will be promoted to Division 1.
Cranbourne president Gerry Kelly recently told the Gazette that the club believes their future lies on the Mornington Peninsula.
“We’ve got history with the MPNFL – we played Mornington back in 1890, and we’ve got four Cranbourne representatives in the Mornington Peninsula Team of the Century. Josh Kendall is a Cranbourne boy, Darryl Nisbet is a famous Cranbourne coach, Brutus Dalgleish and Patty Garrett as well,” he said.
“That just proves where we belong, well from my view anyway.
“We see ourselves being part of the Mornington Peninsula for the next 50 or 100 years.”
AFL South East region general manager John Anderson expressed his disappointment in the decision to the clubs, and said that he hopes the club can find a home in 2019.
“I’m devastated for Cranbourne, a community football and netball club like yourselves, that is now without a home,” he said.
“AFL South East will be working closely with the Cranbourne Football Netball Club to help determine the future direction of the club.
“Cranbourne is a strong, proud and passionate club and will be a wonderful asset for the league where it participates in for 2019 and beyond.”
The Gazette understands that the Southern Football League – touted as a potential option for the club to explore – is not possible in the near future, with the league understood to be comfortable with the current competition structure, and are not looking to add any new clubs at the current time.
It leaves the club with the possible option of joining up with the six SEFNL clubs who are joining the newly formed ‘AFL Outer East’.
