Numbers not the talk at footy meeting

by Nicholas Duck
A number of Gippsland football netball league officials have questioned the direction of football in the region after a meeting with AFL Gippsland last week.
Representatives from all leagues were joined at Lowanna College by members of AFL Gippsland, AFL Victoria, Netball Victoria and the regional umpire associations to launch the development of the Gippsland Charter - a 10-year game plan for the future of football in the region.
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The Gippsland Charter will be developed across three steps. The first, a ‘Lay of the Land’ report, involves discussions with clubs and leagues to identify priorities and is expected to last until February next year.
From there the priority activities will be agreed upon, before final approval and implementation from 2028 onwards.
While the meeting had long been in the works, some league officials expressed disappointment in the direction it took - specifically around one issue.
Discussions around player numbers, particularly those in juniors and how many were making the jump to senior football, continue to rage as clubs report struggles.
Mid Gippsland president John Schelling said the meeting “didn’t really meet my expectations.”
“We have junior numbers drying up so I was hoping there would be more about community clubs and how best to help them but it never really went there,” he said.
Mid Gippsland has endured limited number in its junior ranks in recent years, having only been able to reintroduce under 16s football this season after absorbing several sides from the Central Gippsland Junior Football League.
Even still, the numbers don’t paint the prettiest of pictures.
Despite fielding 13 senior football clubs, the league’s under 16s has just six teams and the under 18s has seven.
“It’s tough, some have (numbers), some haven’t ... we’re just trying to provide smaller clubs a chance to field junior teams for their future.”
Some of the region’s larger leagues like the Gippsland League has just one club missing a junior contingent (Sale in the under 18s). For other leagues who primarily feature smaller towns, like Mid Gippsland, that number drops off.
Ellinbank and District president Ray Wall said while his league’s numbers were solid, the writing was on the wall.
“My view is things will have to change,” he said.
“Some people are living in denial. The demographics are changing - farms are growing, families are shrinking.”
Mr Wall said although numbers were less of an issue in Baw Baw due to it being “a growth area,” the further out you go the harder things are.
“We’re there (numbers-wise) but it’s not brilliant ... it’s been through a lot of hard work from the clubs.”
AFL Gippsland reported an increase in numbers across the board at the meeting from the same date last year.
“I’ve heard that for 35 years, but clubs are falling away,” Mr Schelling said.
“I think we need more concentration on individual clubs instead of leagues. There wasn’t a lot of that community focus.
“The meeting was okay but it was just another ‘make you feel good’ meeting which we don’t need. We need something more worthwhile.”