By Kath Gannaway
POWELLTOWN Football Club has advised the Yarra Valley and Mountain District Football League (YVMDFL) it will not field a team this season.
With just four weeks to go before the start of the home and away games, the club has opted to go into recess for a year with the aim of rebuilding numbers for the 2007 season.
Club secretary Paul Mainey told the Mail an exodus of players to Warburton/Millgrove, following that club’s relegation to second division, had left Powelltown with too few players putting their hands up to pull on the Demons guernsey.
The committee met on 6 March, he said, and it was considered to be in the best interest of the club’s long-term future to focus its energy this year on rebuilding Powelltown’s field capacity for 2007.
Club president Doug Cole said the decision had not been an easy one.
“We are a proud club with a long history in the Yarra Valley, and this was a very difficult decision for the committee.
“To blindly plough on in the hope that things would improve was likely to ensure the permanent demise of the club,” he added.
He said Warburton/Millgrove’s relegation had an impact and, despite the best efforts of the committee and the club’s senior coach, Heath Haag, they had been unable to attract the new players they needed.
Mr Cole said the committee was determined to stay together to drive the rebuilding process.
A preliminary action plan and communication strategy had already been developed, he said. “We will meet again on 3 April to develop a more detailed plan of action and a communications strategy for the next 12 months,” Mr Cole said.
“The club is in a sound financial position and we will work hard to build on that base over the next 12 months to put us into a strong position to compete with other clubs in attracting new players next season,” he said.
Mr Cole thanked Mr Haag for his efforts and said he has joined the committee and is keen to play a lead role in planning and assisting with the club’s efforts to revive its player list.
He said the committee has met with the players who had stayed with the club to outline its situation and express its appreciation to those who had persisted in getting out on the track to help build up the numbers.
“We hope all these players will return to support the club in 2007 and we wish them well wherever they play this season,” Mr Cole said. He called on the club’s supporters, life members and past players to rally over the next 12 months to re-establish the club as a force in the Yarra Valley for 2007.
“We will be organising a number of functions throughout the year to bring as many supporters as possible together to keep the spirit alive,” he said.
Anyone wishing to help can contact Mr Cole on 5966 6218, Peter Podolinski on 59667304, Brett Vorhauer on 0403 045 936 or Mr Mainey on 5966 5856.
YVMDFL CEO Ben O’Brien has backed the club, saying it had made the right decision.
“They could have struggled on this year and had a very ordinary year both on and off the field and gone under. Instead, they are giving themselves the best possible chance they have got to come back next year,” he said.
“They are sound financially and have good ideas and plans in action to turn things around. The league is certainly not writing them off for next year at all,” Mr O’Brien said.
New fixture
EIGHT teams now remain in the Second Division competition and the YVMDFL is currently revising the home and away fixture which will consist of 18 rounds, with no byes.
