Southern Mallee Giants, Jeparit Rainbow confirm merger for 2024

This comes after the clubs held separate 'special resolution meetings' on Wednesday, October 25.

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Low junior numbers and decreasing volunteers were among the main reasons that the clubs have held talks in recent years.

"At the committee level, we've been talking about it reasonably seriously for three or four years," said Jeparit Rainbow president Lucas Edelsten.

"It's ramped up this year for sure. We [Jeparit Rainbow] have had four members meetings."

For Southern Mallee president Nathan Williams, the absence of under-17 football and netball teams in the last five years had sped up the process.

"Just a lack of numbers in the area it's a real concern. We're just concerned it's not long before it will stem into senior football, and there will be no one for it," Williams said.

"We've always said that we're right to keep going. But once we get to a point where we think we have to [amalgamate], we'll get together and we'll do it."

"We're thinking ahead of the curve before it becomes a major issue."

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Edelsten has also seen the decreased numbers flow into the Storm's senior football ranks.

"We really struggled for reserves numbers this year," Edelsten said.

"[But with the amalgamation] We get to have full Junior football and netball teams," Edelsten said.

The next step for both clubs is to form a working committee to oversee the amalgamation, something that the Storm has already done.

"So we've elected a working group to go forward and talk to what is currently the Southern Mallee Giants and figure out how things are going to look," Edelsten said.

Both clubs preferred to compete in the WFNL for the 2024 season.

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