Door open for return

 

October 22 2008

Shepparton News

Griffith teams could be back in North Eastern Soccer League as soon as next season after Hanwood and Yoogali yesterday said they would be open to returning.

The two former premiers of the league left the competition in February, citing numbers shortages and a lack of commitment to the six-hour round trip for away games in Shepparton and Tatura.

But an ambitious North Eastern league proposal to bring the teams back might be the best fit for the Griffith numbers, while also stimulating men's division one.

Rather than the entire clubs returning, a senior men's team each from Hanwood and Yoogali would fill the holes in the men's league fixture left by Kyabram and Numurkah, whose top senior sides play in division two.

Men's division one was riddled with byes this season, the competition suffering the double whammy of losing the challenging Griffith opposition as well as having games surrounded by regular weeks off.

Promoting either Numurkah or Kyabram to the top men's league has looked an ambitious proposal in recent years, the pair finished last and second last in men's division two this season with a combined goal difference of -167.

Yoogali president Paul Fisher said while not speaking on behalf of his players, the club itself would be open to the idea of returning a senior men's team to the North Eastern league.

"We would look at a proposal if the North Eastern league put one to us," Fisher said.

"Right now we do have a young squad and we would have to be competitive if we come back.

"You can't travel down to Victoria week after week to be demoralised."

Hanwood president Anthony Agresta said fielding just the men's seniors in the North Eastern league would be a better fit than finding numbers for multiple teams.

"Filling firsts, reserves and under-17s was getting hard and that's where we fell down," Agresta said.

"If it was only one team it would be easier.

"We'll discuss any proposal, we're open to the idea (of coming back)."

Two teams do not field sides in men's division one; Kyabram and Numurkah.

Hanwood would follow the fixture of one team and Yoogali the other.

For example, if Shepparton plays at home to Kyabram, its women and junior grades play as they would against Kyabram, while the men's match at the end of the afternoon is Shepparton v Yoogali.

Then, when Shepparton plays away to Kyabram, its women and junior grades play at Kyabram while its men go to Griffith to play Yoogali.