A whole new ball game

February 18 2009

Shepparton News

North Eastern Soccer League is no more and the round ball game's major league in the Goulburn Valley will now be called Goulburn North East Football Association.

A motion to rename the competition, drop the word soccer and incorporate the word football passed with a minimum of fuss at an operations meeting with delegates from all 10 member clubs on Tuesday.

Attending matches will also be a costlier exercise after the gate was raised to $8 for adults and $5 for concession holders and under-16s free.

The new name was coined by current president Frank Trimboli and is seen by league administration as a strategic shift to align with the Summer Zone League team known as Goulburn North East.

The increasing costs paying referees was the primary motivation for clubs to agree raising the entry fee.

The $5 entry for adults had previously been lower than all major football leagues in the Goulburn Valley.

Age restrictions in boys' divisions will remain the same, with clubs agreeing to have three under-17 players in the under-16 division.

The junior girls' division was switched from under-14s to under-15s to accommodate players at a number of clubs who otherwise would have not got a game in senior women.

The ``ex-radius'' rule was also maintained, this season each club will be allowed four players who are not permanent Australian residents or reside more than 100km from the club's town.

Numurkah again stated it would definitely field a men's division one team this season, meaning fewer byes in the draw and a return to the home and away format.

Every team played each other three times last season due to there only being six men's senior teams, this year there will be eight with the addition of Numurkah and Kialla United.

Kialla will not charge at its Vibert Reserve home ground until appropriate fencing is erected _ unlikely to be this season _ but it will run a raffle with the expectation visiting fans participate.