THE Bendigo Football-Netball League is seeking feedback from its clubs to a proposal for the second half of the under-18s season that would eliminate the bye for teams scheduled to play Castlemaine and Maryborough.
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The BFNL under-18s has been reduced to an eight-team competition this year following the late withdrawals of the two Magpies’ teams.
But such is the way the 2018 fixture is structured, seven of the eight remaining competing teams – Eaglehawk is the exception – are scheduled to play Maryborough and Castlemaine in consecutive weeks, meaning they have to endure extended under-18s breaks.
However, BFNL general manager Cameron Tomlins has presented a proposal to clubs whereby the two teams that are fixtured to play Maryborough and Castlemaine would instead play against each other.
“I’ve put forward a proposal to the board and the clubs, but I’ve made it clear it would need the buy-in from most of the clubs for it to work,” Tomlins said on Thursday.
“Some clubs more so than others are really keen to see something happen and I’m hoping by Friday I’ll have more of an indication.
“From my point of view, we want the kids playing footy each week, but at this stage nothing is locked in.
“But if I can get most of the clubs on board I’ll be trying to push something through.”
Earlier this year the Advertiser posed the question of should the under-18 fixture be re-booted in the second half of the season by scheduling the two clubs without a game to play each other:
Round 11 – Eaglehawk v Golden Square – Eaglehawk fixtured at home; Golden Square at Maryborough.
Round 12 – South Bendigo v Golden Square – both clubs have home games.
Round 13 – Kangaroo Flat v South Bendigo – Kangaroo Flat at Maryborough; South Bendigo at Castlemaine.
Round 14 – Strathfieldsaye v Kangaroo Flat – both clubs have home games.
Round 15 – Strathfieldsaye v Gisborne – Gisborne at Maryborough; Strathfieldsaye at Castlemaine.
Round 16 – Kyneton v Gisborne – both clubs have home games.
Round 17 – Kyneton v Sandhurst – Sandhurst at Maryborough; Kyneton at Castlemaine.
Round 18 – Sandhurst v Eaglehawk – both clubs have home games.