Murray Valley Football League (formerly RIFL)

[FlyingHigh]

It’s been mentioned on here already that the Mallee regions of SA and VIC have faced huge challenges for survival across many decades. Whilst country people are tougher than city folk (travelling wise) travelling 300kms each way for a game of footy is dead set ridiculous and is only ending one way sooner rather than later. Murrayville are an unfortunate victim of being in the wrong location with a dwindling population in the area. Improved farming technologies are allowing farmers to get bigger with less employees.

Since the demise of the Mid-West league, with Elliston merging with Western Districts, it is a similar distance from Tumby and Ungurra to Poochera, where I believe they still play one or two games a year. It is easier for these people to commit as they still have 4 grades of footy (and possibly more grades of netball?). Have heard they encourage the visitors to make a weekend of these couple of games, stay up there and put on social event, etc etc.

While it seems ridiculous to travel that far for a game, you can make the best of it.

Or alternatively, how long before SC look to join the Hills again, or their players are tempted to go to Torrens Valley or Angaston?

[cracka]

You’d imagine Sedan-Cambrai’s forfeit of their trip over the border to Murrayville might be high on the agenda.

Understand it’s one of the biggest return road trips in SA footy, but all the clubs need to be on board surely. Interesting times for the young league!

IMG_3994.jpeg

Understand there is an extraordinary league meeting Tuesday. Attendance compulsory.

Yet the Sedan/Cambrai netballers made the trip

[Esteban Vihaio]

We will see the outcome shortly no doubt. My mail was that it will focus on a club and or certain behaviour

[Benchwarmer]

Looks like BSR are set to fold.

An emergency meeting to create a succession plan for the committee was poorly attended and the club has put out a social media post saying that it looks like the upcoming presentation night function will double up as a farewell for the club.

A lack of volunteers is a major issue for the sport going forward. Some clubs at grassroots level nationwide are struggling for player numbers but a lack of volunteers is emerging as a bigger problem.

I think Lyrup had a similar issue if I am not mistaken and we are going to see a few grassroots clubs suffer a similar fate over the next decade as the current crop of committee members and volunteers call it a day and not enough people step up to the plate to keep things running.

[wenchbarwer]

How does this league sustain itself with no B grade or juniors?

[The Bedge]

Looks like BSR are set to fold.

An emergency meeting to create a succession plan for the committee was poorly attended and the club has put out a social media post saying that it looks like the upcoming presentation night function will double up as a farewell for the club.

A lack of volunteers is a major issue for the sport going forward. Some clubs at grassroots level nationwide are struggling for player numbers but a lack of volunteers is emerging as a bigger problem.

I think Lyrup had a similar issue if I am not mistaken and we are going to see a few grassroots clubs suffer a similar fate over the next decade as the current crop of committee members and volunteers call it a day and not enough people step up to the plate to keep things running.

We had a player head out there this year - he enjoyed himself, but at the same time didn't - a lot of weeks off made it tough. Apparently a lot of Adelaide based players are returning to AdFL next year, with Gaza appearing the destination club.. and just not enough locals to keep it going.

Super sad to see any club wind up, and even sadder seeing some of these country clubs go the way of the dodo.

[whufc]

Sad to hear a fellow BSR club be in this position. Hope they kind a find a way back but sounding extremely unlikely.

[Jim05]

The SIL lives up there and is a club volunteer but yeah getting harder and harder to find those to keep the club running. Our lad went up there to play and took a couple of mates from town with him and whilst they enjoyed their time up there the commute just got too much. One thing to play at Blanchetown or Sedan but trips to Paringa and other far flung places ensured a long day. We went up and watched 1 game and the standard was that poor that we never went back. That day they had no boundary umps and the poor field ump had to do everything

[Dutchy]

Disappointing but not unexpected, at least there is the RFL up there so local players can still play if the comp folds.

What happens to the netball comp, are they struggling with numbers also?