Several of the leading country Victorian league’s clubs have indicated they do not have sufficient numbers to field two full senior teams and two under-age teams
Echuca Football Netball Club president Ash Byrne said a meeting of league presidents on Monday evening had confirmed his suspicions that some clubs were going to struggle to field under-age and reserve grade teams.
“I have told the league that our boys will be available,” Byrne said.
“This weekend, for example, I have spoken with Jeff Bright from Rochester. They will struggle for numbers in the under-18s. We have more than 22 on our under-18 list, so we will be offering them some support.”
Byrne said it was not a new phenomenon for Echuca footballers to be wearing foreign colours for a home-and-away match.
“It is good for our boys just to be playing footy. We are lucky that we have fairly solid numbers,” he said.
“Sometimes I get a bit embarrassed with the fact we have 55 senior players on the list.”
With everyone fit and available, that means a potential overflow of 11 players.
“This weekend we will have six or eight available to play for Rochester, if required,” Byrne said.
“We will offer them up to other teams.
“The one really positive thing to come out of the meeting last night was that everyone agreed to help where they could.”
In a game against Shepparton last year, half-a-dozen Echuca players were in the Bears’ colours.
Byrne’s own son, Hugh, played in the fourths for Euroa in one instance, underlining his attitude toward ensuring opposition clubs were able to field competitive teams.
“There was at least two occasions where the opposition didn’t have enough players last year and we were able to help,” he said.
Byrne said the Benalla club did not think it would be able to field a reserves side this season.
The same could be said of Shepparton United, which has had an exodus of players.
Byrne said the enthusiasm among the Echuca playing group was directly attributable to the coaching panel, which had been in place for five seasons.
“We are fortunate, no worries about that. The consistency of our coaches is what I think has built the player group’s attitude,” he said.
“Leo Tenace has coached the thirds for five years, Troy Murphy has coached the reserves for four years and this is Andrew (Walker) and Simon’s (Maddox) fifth season.”
The age of Echuca’s playing list across its reserves and senior grades is younger than most other Goulburn Valley League clubs.
“Of the current senior list I would think there are about 30 who played under-18 football under Leo,” Byrne said.
“They are all very close. If we have a social function they are all at it and if they train they all come for Thursday night dinners.”
However, Byrne said that hadn’t always been the case and it wasn’t that long ago that the club’s under-18 players, along with several “old blokes”, were filling vacant positions.
“Ten years ago we were in a different position, so I guess we understand,” he said.
