MARYBOROUGH co-coach Jamie Bond is confident the Magpies will play in the BFNL in 2014 and beyond.
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Bond, who took on the co-coaching duties for 2014 with fellow club legend Glen Chadwick, said the club was in a stronger position than most thought.
"I know you were told we only had 20 players, but that's just not right,'' a passionate Bond said on Thursday.
"We have 28 players signed for next year, plus another list of more than 30 who we're confident we will sign.
"I have no doubt Maryborough will be in the BFNL next year.
"No doubt we're got our challenges, but I think the panic button has been hit for no reason."
The Magpies started a community campaign on Wednesday in a bid to garner more playing and corporate support.
While Bond admitted the club had areas it needed to improve, he said the Magpies were far from dead and buried.
"What's best for Maryborough is for this club to play in a major league,'' Bond said.
"We need to have a club that can provide the kids of this town with an opportunity to play the highest stand of footy they can.
"Look at Stewie Crameri (Western Bulldogs) and Jed Adcock (Brisbane).
"Even Jake Stringer (Western Bulldogs) played junior footy at Maryborough.
"They're perfect examples of what Maryborough can provide for kids coming through.
"This talk of the district clubs hurting Maryborough is not the issue.
"Those people are allowed to have their own club to play for and support.
"What we need to change is the mindset of young players.
"The best young players should be playing footy with Maryborough, having a crack in the seniors and then feeding back out to the district clubs.
"The system can work for everyone.
"What we need the most is to get our under-18s back up and running to feed the senior side. That has really hurt us in the past few years."
Bond said former senior skipper Joel Malone was a certain starter for 2014.
"Joel's fully fit and when fit he's one of the best midfielders in the BFL,'' he said.
"He's raring to go. We have some other quality recruits who we're close to signing.
"We're probably going to have a young side and there'll be some short-term pain, but all the talk of doom and gloom is just not right."
Bond said including netball in the football debate was misleading.
"I don't know why the club even put netball in the debate,'' Bond said.
"The netballers will be fine."
Maryborough president Mick Reid has set a deadline of February 1 for the club to make a final decision on its future.