Clubs to vote on merge between Wimmera Football League and Wimmera Netball Association

A proposal for the two organisations to be merged has been presented to the Wimmera league's nine football-netball clubs.

The clubs will vote on the proposal on Monday, November 23.

Planning to merge the two entities has gone on for years, with several iterations of different working committees attempting to come to an agreement.

With no football or netball played in 2020, AFL Wimmera-Mallee area manager Jason Muldoon said it was a perfect time to change examine and change existing structures.

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He said years of hard work had gone into this proposal.

"When we realised the season wasn't going ahead, we formed the working party to look at the possibility of finalising the proposal and presenting the clubs the opportunity to vote on a merge," he said.

"It's a process that has been going on for several years and hasn't come to a conclusion, so we worked hard to at least get something for the clubs to look at this year."

The two associations have always worked closely, with all nine Wimmera league clubs being both football and netball clubs, and the fixtures being the same for both competitions.

The Horsham District league made a similar transition in 2014, as the Horsham District Football League and Horsham District Netball Association boards both voted in favour of merging.

Mr Muldoon said initial feedback to the Wimmera league proposal had been positive.

He said the decision however would ultimately rest with the clubs.

A majority vote will determine whether the two entities become one.

"We were determined to get to a point where a decision could be made," Mr Muldoon said.

"Now the clubs ultimately have the decision in their hands - all the power and decision making is with the clubs.

"It is up to them to decide if they want a combined league."

Mr Muldoon said if the vote was in favour of the change, board member positions would then be advertised.

Trevor Albrecht has been commissioner of the Wimmera Football League since 2016, while the Wimmera Netball Association works via a rotation system in which clubs take turns annually to run the administration.

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