The Picola and District Football Netball League returns on Saturday, with players and supporters champing at the bit to see their club’s compete.
Unfortunately, the PDFNL senior and A-grade competitions will be without a side from Yarroweyah this season, with the Hoppers unable to field a team.
Yarroweyah president Geoff Benson said the club was sadly still quite a few players short from having enough numbers come season start.
“It’s not through lack of trying or anything, we just couldn’t get them,” he said.
“There’s no sugar-coating it, the quality and the numbers just aren’t there.”
He said the inability to field senior teams was a huge disappointment to the club.
“There’s not a lot of players going elsewhere, they’re just purely retiring, with two seasons of COVID-19 they’ve just sort of had enough and found other interests,” he said.
“From a club point of view it’s fine, we understand that and we respect it, but it’s obviously disappointing for us, as a club you want to compete at the highest grades you can.”
The league had been working with Yarroweyah for some time to help get the club on the field, with Benson thanking the hard work of Shane Railton and the board, along with people from across Victoria who reached out to help the club.
While they will not be in the top competition, the Hoppers will field a reserves team on the weekend, with hopes of joining the top divisions this year not yet diminished.
“We’re still there, we’re still trying, still gonna push and we want, as a community to survive as well,” Benson said.
“Once a footy club goes, the community dies a bit so we want it to keep going.”
Although there are struggles for player numbers at senior football and netball level, it’s a stark contrast at junior level, with Picola league clubs set to field sides in all junior grades in what is a positive sign for clubs and the league.
All other clubs are also going to field a senior side this weekend, with the match of the round set to take place in Strathmerton.
Strathmerton will be taking on Waaia in what is sure to be a fiery clash and Bulldogs coach Tim Bramich was quietly confident his side could get over the line.
“It’s come around really quick, it’s good to be playing footy again and we’ll be ready to go,” Bramich said.
The Bulldogs’ three new signings, Jessie Finnen, Jake Ellery and Darcy Robinson are all looking impressive ahead of the weekend’s clash.
“We might be a touch underdone but we still would have done enough I would have thought to be where we should be,” he said.
Marcus McMillan will be missing for the home side on Saturday, with the club set to put on a social function post-game to start the season strongly.
Waaia will definitely be looking to put its best foot forward to ruin the party, with the action at Strathmerton Recreation Reserve set to get under way at 2.05pm.
In the weekend’s other games, Berrigan will be bolstered by its returning stars when it takes on finals aspirant Picola United at home.
A Blighty side who is said to be much improved will have its work cut out for it when it plays host to Jerilderie.
A Katandra team full to the brim with fresh talent will head to Tungamah, while Mathoura and Rennie are set to battle out an entertaining clash at Mathoura.
An ever-improving Katunga side will take on Deni at Memorial Park, while Tocumwal’s seniors will join Katamatite with a week off, with the Bloods originally scheduled to play Yarroweyah.
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