AFL Central Victoria has announced it has put its competition structure review, which could affect Elmore and Lockington Bamawm United, on hold.
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Two meetings have taken place in recent weeks as the AFLCV commission investigates a potential change of governance structures and re-structuring of competitions moving forward.
Officials at the four competitions - Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley and North Central- have seen the proposed changes.
But any changes won’t be confirmed until the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is assessed.
The review comes after a study into underage competitions found clubs were concerned about the structure of the region as a whole.
“It was universally decided at this stage leagues wanted to retain the status quo because of the uncertainty in relation to COVID and how it could affect their landscape in the sense that there could be some clubs that don't continue, some that may look to combine or some have a different structure,” AFLCV commission chairman Nicholas Rolfe told Australian Community Media.
“There was no discussion about who could that be, but if the pandemic continues into next year then that's going to affect the outlook going forward.
“Everyone wants to retain the status quo for the short term, but there is an openness to having further discussions . . . the door hasn't been completely shut on it.”
There are 36 senior clubs who fall under AFLCV’s banner, although they span over 300km across the region.
The Central Victorian football-netball league proposal as reported by Australian Community Media is as follows:
Section 1
● Clubs must provide a full complement of teams for both football and netball.
● In the current circumstances this would include a senior, reserves and under-18 football team, four senior grades of netball and a 17-under netball team.
● If facilities and club interest allow, this could be extended to a 15-under team.
● Clubs must also provide a minimum of one boys football team in the CVFNL junior competition in each of the under-12, under-14 and under-16 age groups.
Section 2
● Clubs must provide a full complement of teams for both football and netball as per section one.
● However, clubs are not required to enter a boys football team in each grade of the CVFNL junior competition.
District 1
● Clubs are not required to enter a team in all grades.
● Grades could include senior, reserves and under-17 football, four senior grades of netball and 17-under and 15-under netball teams, which could be extended to 13-under.
● Clubs may or may not have junior teams.
District 2
● Clubs not required to enter a team in all grades. Grades could include a senior, reserves and one or two junior football teams, three senior grades of netball and two junior grades of netball, as well as hockey teams.
Women
● Clubs should be working towards also entering an under-18 girls team.
● Clubs not required to enter a girls football team in each grade of the CVFNL junior competition.
Juniors
● Graded competition will be conducted for both boys and girls from entry level to under-16.
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