United is set to host three of four junior football grand finals at its home ground of Deakin Reserve on Sunday, however, the only match not scheduled in Shepparton features a United team.
The under-14 division two grand final includes the Demons and is the only football grand final scheduled at Seymour’s Kings Park this weekend.
The clash will be played against Wandong, a team located about an 82-minute drive south of Deakin Reserve.
With Shepparton United placed in the under-16 division two grand final also, the club believes there are a number of consequences if the under-14 team is forced to play at a separate venue to its under-16 counterpart and where club members, volunteers and supporters are to be based.
The club believes the current scheduling will place considerable pressure on the committee, coaches, volunteers and families, many of whom are involved across multiple teams and in the operation of the club.
One example includes a family that has children in either team, forcing each parent to choose which child to watch and which child to miss out on viewing.
United also explained to AFL Goulburn Murray a decision to reject the club’s proposal of relocating the under-14 division two grand final to Deakin Reserve would see junior players experience a grand final with significantly reduced club support, not because their community is unwilling to support them, but because the fixture allocation requires that community to be in two places.
As is the tight-knit Shepparton footballing community, United argue the under-14 Shepparton United team will also miss out on witnessing club teammates and schoolmates from opposing Shepparton clubs the Bears and Swans play in respective grand finals in the under-14 and under-16 deciders at Deakin Reserve.
Shepparton United president Peter Ralph stated the club first flagged a potential concern when the venues were first unveiled in June, but was told by AFL Goulburn Murray it would discuss the impact at a later date closer to the grand final.
The Demons immediately followed up with a formal request to change venues on Monday, August 12, one day after the under-14 Demons secured their spot in the grand final.
On Wednesday, August 14, the Goulburn Murray Juniors Advisory Committee declined the proposal by United with the following reasoning:
“The Goulburn Murray Juniors Advisory Committee wishes to advise that the under-14s Division 2 Grand Final will remain scheduled at King’s Park, Seymour.
“This decision has been made to ensure an equitable distribution of matches across the two venues.
“While the committee has no concerns regarding Shepparton United’s capacity to host an additional match at Deakin, it is considered fair and appropriate that both hosting football clubs are provided with an equal opportunity to host finals fixtures.”
Ralph stated he since spoke with Seymour Junior Football Club, to which Seymour stated it fully supported United’s request for a change of venue.
Continuing its fight, United had requested a meeting with the league since Wednesday last week, all of which had been declined, however, the written correspondence was forwarded to the AFL Goulburn Murray Commission Sub-Committee.
On Wednesday, the Commission Sub-Committee made its decision and advised that “consistent with its by-laws”, appeals would be considered on written submissions only and not in person, hence why Shepparton United’s in-person meeting proposals were rejected or ignored.
It further advised that after reviewing all the correspondence, the Commission Sub-Committee supported the position of the advisory, and that the location of the under-14 division two grand final will remain as scheduled at King’s Park Seymour.
Ralph said the outcome was gutting for the Demons community.
"We are really devastated by this and are really going to struggle to make the day a success at Deakin without many of our volunteers, but our kids and their families are also devastated that they don’t get to play on the same stage as their peers and clubmates here at Deakin,“ Ralph said.
The Commission Sub-Committee stated that the decision is final.
AFL Goulburn Murray was contacted for comment.
