Bombers close

By Justin Robertson
AN ELLINBANK and District Football League club is in danger of folding – on the eve of the 2011 season.
Two years ago, Nilma Darnum was a bustling and thriving football club.
It had just won the 2009 flag and had strong playing stocks across all teams. But, with less than two weeks before its round one clash this year, the club is battling with poor numbers and probably will not field a reserves team.
Junior coach Russell Cann – the son of life member Terry Cann – has returned to the club and is disappointed to see such small numbers.
“A lot of the kids have moved on, coaches and players have moved on, too, to play with teams that have been winning,” he said, having played his first game for Nilma Darnum in 1968.
“But we need to get families and the kids back here to build a winning culture again.”
In 2009, Nilma Darnum won its first flag in 50 years. Cann admitted the club had since come into some financial difficulty after it paid players what they wanted and coughed up a fair bit of money to win the premiership that year.
“It’s probably hurt the club by sticking the dollars out there and it hurts, because people say, ‘Oh yeah, they went and paid for a grand final’,” he said.
“And now we can’t afford to pay for any players. We’ve already lost three quality players because some clubs can afford to pay them in the vicinity of $400 a game – and we can’t.”
All through preseason, numbers have continued to be low.
Last Thursday, six under-13 players showed up for training, along with eight under-18 players.
On top of that, the club has 22 senior listed players to pick from, meaning it has only enough for one senior team.
“We have only two weeks to get people on the park, so bring down anyone who wants to have a kick around,” Cann said.
“I’m 53 and I might have to put the boots on again – and I don’t want to do that.”
Since Cann’s arrival, the club now has a new administration and committee as well as securing 2009 grand final coach Brad Sinclair and former Essendon and triple Brisbane Lions premiership full back Mal Michael – who was also part of Nilma Darnum’s 2009 premiership.
For Nilma Darnum, the immediate forecast is bleak, but Cann says this season’s results are “irrelevant” as it will take a while to build a winning culture back at the club.
“It won’t happen overnight, that’s for sure,” he said.
“If we want to improve we must get back to a family-oriented club, instead of all the pressures of winning flags.
“We just want the people and friendship back at the club and the rest will unfold.”