Castlemaine Football Netball Club president Caleb Kuhle would like to see AFLCV clubs re-visit proposed structural changes to leagues.
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In the wake of Maryborough's decision to evaluate its future in the Bendigo Football Netball League, Kuhle said the time was right for clubs to discuss the structure of football and netball in central Victoria.
Last August, governing body AFL Central Victoria sent a memo to clubs in the BFNL, Heathcote District FNL and Loddon Valley FNL proposing changes to league structures, including a potential tiered competition with a promotion/relegation system.
At the time, LVFNL clubs Marong and Maiden Gully YCW and Central Murray club Cohuna Kangas had registered their interest in joining the HDFNL.
The idea centred around providing clubs with an avenue who were struggling in their current league to play in a competition they would be more competitive in, while also giving clubs who had outgrown their league with the opportunity to participate in a stronger competition.
The proposal received a mixed response and a decision was made to keep the BFNL, HDFNL and LVFNL structures the same for the 2024 season.
Kuhle said more clubs across central Victoria will continue to struggle if changes aren't made.
"My ambition is to always worry about our own backyard, that comes first,'' Kuhle said.
"For our club to have any point of difference from the district clubs in our region we need to be playing in a higher league.
"We need to give young players the opportunity to develop at a higher standard and reach as high as they can with their footy without having to travel too far from home.
"Our perspective hasn't changed from where we want to be, but in saying that I think there needs to be change in the region.
"I think there's a lot of merit in combining leagues and making tiers. The pros of promotion and relegation will far outweigh the cons.
"I don't think just saying 'no, this is the way it has always been' and sticking your nose up at every opportunity for change is the answer when you have clubs dwindling across football and netball."
Not so long ago Castlemaine was in a similar position to Maryborough where it struggled to field football and netball teams and its senior football team battled to remain competitive.
The tide has slowly turned for the Magpies and this year their senior football team is in contention for a finals berth.
Should a promotion/relegation system be introduced to central Victorian footy there would be no guarantee that Castlemaine would remain in division one - a prospect that doesn't concern Kuhle.
"I think in the current state we would be pushing for a division one spot, but even if we were in division two it's still going to be a higher standard than the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League,'' Kuhle said.
"If you're competitive in division two and you can develop your juniors then you're going to have a good club."
NETBALL'S RICH GETTING RICHER
One of the major reasons some clubs were against disbanding the current leagues to form a centralised league with promotion and relegation was aligning the quality of netball teams.
For example, a club's football team might be best suited to division two, while its A-grade netball team is a power of its current competition and is worthy of division one status.
"People who say no because of netball are from clubs that have strong netball programs where they are,'' Kuhle said.
"If they could taste what it's like at Castlemaine and Maryborough I think they'd be all for it (change).
"Our players play in other clubs in Bendigo. Our netballers played Kangaroo Flat at the weekend and we played against three Castlemaine netballers who now play for Kangaroo Flat.
"One of those three players was playing for Castlemaine last round and played against us this round."
For now, Kuhle and the Magpies will invest their time in enhancing their own programs.
"We will worry about our own backyard and control what we can control,'' Kuhle said.
"Things are looking up for us, but there can always be a curve ball thrown in.
"We'd like to think we're on the right track."
Meanwhile, the BFNL game in which former St Kilda midfielder Leigh Montagna will play for Castlemaine has been changed.
Montagna was originally slated to play for the Pies against Eaglehawk on July 20, but he will now pull on the black and white jumper against Kangaroo Flat on August 10.
The Pies gained the services of Montagna through the Carlton Draft program.
On Monday, Carlton Draft announced that AFLW great Erin Phillips would play a one-off game for Marong's women's team in CVFL.
