League split

By Peter Sweeney and Gavin Staindl
A TWO-TIERED competition has been proposed for the Casey Cardinia Football League for 2013.
Ellinbank District Football League clubs based in the Shire of Cardinia are being sounded out over a possible move to Casey Cardinia – and splitting the league into two divisions.
Seven clubs in the 15-team EDFL – Garfield, Bunyip, Lang Lang, Catani, Nar Nar Goon, Kooweerup and Cora Lynn – are in the shire of Cardinia.
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League – the parent body of the Casey Cardinia Football League – is leading the move to expand the CCFL.
The MPNFL has been given permission by the Victorian Country Football League to talk to clubs in the EDFL about joining a totally revamped CCFL.
Most of the affected EDFL clubs said the move came as a surprise and that they were not interested in changing leagues.
There are two reasons why the MPNFL wants to change the look of football in Casey Cardinia.
First, league officials are most concerned at the “have and have-nots” – both on and off the field – in the league. Already, rumours are rife Keysborough plans a switch to the Southern Football League next year and Tooradin-Dalmore indicated last week it was considering moving leagues.
Also, new clubs being formed are bypassing the CCFL in favour of leagues that offer two or three-tier competitions, including the Southern and Eastern football leagues.
The MPNFL says it will “take all of next year” to put any revamped league together.
At present there are byes in both the 11-team CCFL and the 15-team EDFL, which league officials say is “far from ideal”.
“Yes, we are looking at Casey Cardinia becoming a two-tier league,” Ian Benson, operations manager for the MPNFL, said yesterday.
“We have been given permission by the VCFL to talk to other clubs about joining the Casey Cardinia League. It would be clubs that are in the shire of Cardinia.
“Some clubs in the CCFL are finding it difficult to compete and new clubs are bypassing us in favour of joining leagues who provide three-tier levels.
“We haven’t pursued anything as yet … and if something was to happen, it would take all of next year to make it happen. We would be looking at 2013.”
A two-tiered Casey Cardinia league would also provide a more competitive option for expanding clubs such as Endeavour Hills and Hallam, whose successful junior structures are ready to graduate to senior football.
Some have also thrown in another Cardinia shire club, Gembrook Cockatoo, as a candidate for the new structure.
One-sided games have become more prevalent in both leagues, one reason for looking at a restructure.
The closest finish in the five CCFL games on Saturday was a 37-point difference between Beaconsfield and ROC.
Two of the games in the EDFL had less than a kick between the teams, but the next closest contest had a nine-goal difference. Two games were won and lost by more than 100 points.
The response to the MPNFL plan to expand the Casey Cardinia league has largely favoured the implementation of a revised competition.
“No one wants to see blow-outs every week,” ROC president Sharon Temby said.
“You need close games to get people out of bed and wanting to play footy.
“If managed right, this could be a really good idea.”
Club reaction: footy lift-out.