As young men it was our ambition to play the great game, and play it at the highest level we could.

The Victorian Country Football League administrated country football and introduced many leagues throughout Victoria, hence the formation of the Wimmera Football League. 

Leagues were created and competition ‘evolved’ into a new world of contact sport, which became a window of opportunity for some while for others it was chance to play and witness football as the fastest crowd-drawing sport of all time. 

The Wimmera Football League went from strength to strength, drawing huge crowds, and unearthed many outstanding footballers.

The Wimmera league was administrated by the club delegated system and quickly addressed its status by becoming a major league. That major league status has continued throughout the years to now. 

In 1992, the league had a change of administration, with eight independent commissioners taking control of the clubs and competition.

The move addressed areas of concern for both the Wimmera league and the Victorian Country Football League. The change also removed the input of the affiliated clubs. 

Nothing lasts forever, with the Victorian Country Football League taken over by the AFL, which again changed the concept of country football. The proud Wimmera league, with its status of a major league, lost its identity from that day forward. 

We call upon the clubs to be upstanding and seek out why the Wimmera league was playing finals in the month of August and its grand final on September 3.

Who made the decision? Why was it done without consultation? We appreciate the AFL control the rules of the game.

However, under the constitution the affiliate clubs control the Wimmera league and the administration. 

Do they call it progress or just poor administration?

BILL McGRATH, MICHAEL MURPHY, WES RICHARDSON, JOHN SUDHOLZ, MAX WOODWARD, LOXLEY HOFFMAN, BRUCE HARTIGAN, BRIAN CLYNE and BARRIE FRY

A GENEROUS donation by Wimmera Uniting Care enabled Warracknabeal to host a free family fun day. With the initial grant kick-starting the idea, event organisers were able to source a rock climbing wall and mechanical bull, various community groups to assist with the day and a bargain lunch and rainbow fruit break. 

Linking Learning WORDS came on board to provide entertainment for the younger audience in the form of Chris and Claire James from the Dreaming Space, with story telling, circus skills and a magic show. 

The Yarriambiack Shire and Freeza provided free skate boarding lessons for the older children.

The Wheat City Derby Angels hosted a Rollerama and were kept busy all day with 82 people trying their hand at skating, many of them returning for subsequent goes. 

The Warracknabeal Girl Guides set up a display sharing the ‘Free to be’ message, distributing temporary tattoos with inspirational quotes and pocket mirrors. 

Warracknabeal Playgroup kept the children aged zero to five entertained with an active play space and Cheryl Woods from the stadium shared her Mini Mover ideas.  

The co-ordinators from WORDS, Playgroup and Wheat City Derby Angels would like to thank the sponsors for making it possible, the large crowd of more than 200 for supporting the event, Ritchies for generously contributing to our sausage sizzle that Apex cooked and the Girl Guide Parent Support Group for supplying baked potatoes.

MELISSA EVANS

Warracknabeal