By David Nagel
The simple desire to be more competitive is the driving force behind both the Kilcunda-Bass and Korumburra-Bena Football Netball Club’s beginning initial talks with the Ellinbank and District Football League (EDFL) about a potential move next season.
Both clubs – who currently ply their trade in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC) – have been granted permission by AFL Victoria to begin discussion and negotiation with the EDFL about a potential move for the 2023 season.
But Dalyston Football Netball Club, rumoured to be making the same enquiries, has denied any interest in being released from the WGFNC in the immediate future.
EDFL President Roger Gwynne confirmed that talks had begun with both Kilcunda-Bass and Korumburra-Bena.
“I received an email from George Morgan at AFL Victoria confirming that both clubs can now begin the process, which includes discussion with the EDFL,” Gwynne explained.
“I have spoken with both clubs and told them they have to go through the correct procedure, which is clearly stipulated in the AFL Victoria Handbook, and then we’ll take it from there.
“The process has really just begun and can only progress if the clubs can meet the criteria required.
“That means a full contingency of juniors, under 16s and 18s, and six netball sides, which is another part of the process, with Netball Victoria, that needs to be worked through.
“The clubs are working through things with their members, then submissions need to be made, a vote of our member clubs needs to take place.
“It’s still very early in the process and at this stage we just need to let nature take its course.”
Kilcunda-Bass and Korumburra-Bena are not joined at the hip in the decision-making process, with both clubs taking an independent view on the potential move to Ellinbank.
Both clubs now need to work with their members, with minutes of a Special General Meeting (SGM) – where club members resolve to transfer – part of the Transfer Application process that needs to be lodged between 1 August and 31 October this year.
The WGFNC then has 21 days from the date of lodgement to approve or refuse the transfer…with an appeal process available to both clubs if the Transfer Application is refused.
Kilcunda-Bass President Les Watson agreed with Gwynne that the process has just begun.
“We’re just going through the conversation at the moment really, with our netball girls and footballers, and giving everyone time to decide on the best way forward for our club,” Watson said.
“There’s a fair bit to go through yet, but speaking with Roger (Gwynne) he seemed open to the idea so we’ll take the necessary steps.
“For us it’s just about us being more competitive that’s all.
“Other clubs are getting stronger, the competition is getting better, and the population gap between places like Phillip Island and Inverloch, and us, is getting bigger and bigger all the time.
“But we’re not going to rush into anything, we’ve got until August to decide what we’re doing so nothing is set in concrete at this stage.”
Watson is confident that Kilcunda-Bass – which currently has no A Grade netball team or under-18s in football – could fill a full compliment of teams if accepted into the EDFL.
Korumburra-Bena President Troy Patterson was more forthright, suggesting the club’s livelihood was at stake.
“For us it’s all about the sustainability of the club, no other reason than that,” Patterson said.
“We haven’t won too many games in recent times and the club can’t sustain that.
“We just need to sum up where we want to be, and with other clubs showing interest in joining West Gippsland it’s only going to get stronger and stronger.
“We see Ellinbank as a good fit, we would have local rivalries with Nyora, Poowong and so forth, we think it would be good.
“We’ll work through the process, talk to our members, and then vote on whether we progress with the move or not.”
Patterson said if the Giants remained in the WGFNC…being competitive would certainly come at a price that the club is not willing to pay.
“It would be extremely difficult and we would have to somehow find the finances to pay players over the odds to try and save the club and be competitive…and that’s not a sustainable model in any way,” he said.
Patterson confirmed that Korumburra-Bena was in a great position to take a full complement of teams to the EDFL next season.
“We’ve got two under 14’s this year, so 16s and 18s wouldn’t be an issue,” he said.
“And we just got a $1.5million grant to upgrade facilities for next year…so we tick those boxes, and we’d take a full complement of netballers as well.”
While both Kilcunda-Bass and Korumburra-Bena are keen to explore the potential move, Dalyston President Andy Thomas was equally active in squashing rumours about the Magpies potential involvement.
“I have had phone calls from people saying they have heard the Dalyston is looking to move to the EDFL as well,” Thomas said.
“Negative publicity, about where you’re going and what you want to do, can make players and supporters feel unsettled and we want to make sure that our supporters know where we stand on this.
“We just want to reinforce to people at the club that everything is going to be alright for us.
“I can understand the innuendo about us wanting to leave, because we’ve been down on the ladder for the last three years but, at this stage, we’re very comfortable in the West Gippsland league.
“We realise we have to get better, and we’ve got some work to do and we understand the challenges of competing against the big clubs like Phillip Island and Inverloch, but we’re certainly up for the challenge.”
Thomas said the Magpies are determined to grow from the ground up, and reverse a recent trend since Covid occupied the headlines.
“A junior base is the really important one for us, we’re finding since Covid that a lot of kids and parents have got used to not playing footy and are reluctant to get back into sport,” Thomas said.
“We all know the benefits that sport can have on kids, socially, mentally and physically, and being part of a club is a great way to grow and develop as a person.
“But while Bass Coast is growing extraordinarily quickly, there’s still a lack of kids playing sports and we nee to tap into the reasons why.”
For both Kilcunda-Bass and Korumburra-Bena…if current discussions and negotiations fail to result in the movement of the clubs to the EDFL, then no further negotiations can take place for two years.
