Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
THE Heathcote District league is lifting its under-17 football competition to under-18s next season in an effort to avoid a potential mass exodus of players seeking to go elsewhere to get in a final year of under-age football that was denied this year.
One of the most contentious topics in the HDFNL for years has been the debate of the under-17 age group becoming under-18s in line with the neighbouring Bendigo and Loddon Valley leagues.
While the change has been made by the board for next year, chairman Peter Cole stressed it was only being implemented at this stage for 2021 following this year's cancelled season.
With no season played this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it means top age under-17 players were denied their final season of under-age football in the HDFNL.
While the league traditionally loses some players coming out of under-17s to leagues with under-18 teams, the HDFNL doesn't want to see that number exacerbated next year in what is already a challenging time for clubs.
Since making the decision to lift the age group for next year to under-18s the HDFNL has been told by one club it expected to lose 18 players had the competition remained under-17s; another club anticipated losing 16 players; two clubs 15 players and one club 10 players.
"From the figures we've already been given by some of our clubs, it's in excess of 80 players who would have been ineligible to play under-17s next year," Cole said on Saturday.
"While some of those players would have played reserves and seniors, the majority most likely would have gone elsewhere or simply not played and that's unacceptable in the current climate.
"By moving to under-18s for next year - and at this stage the move is only for 2021 - what we're giving the clubs is the opportunity to be able to retain those players.
"What it essentially means is the existing teams that clubs had ready to go for this year can still be retained for next season.
"We acknowledge the under-17 vs under-18s subject has been regularly debated within our competition over the years, but in this instance it's purely about giving our clubs the maximum opportunity to field sides.
"We'll see how next year goes with the under-18s and then review it at the end of the season."
While there was no HDFNL season this year, Huntly, North Bendigo, Leitchville-Gunbower, Mount Pleasant and White Hills all fielded teams in the Bendigo Junior Football League's under-18 competition that lasted three rounds before also being called off.
As well as the change from under-17 to under-18s for the football, in netball the Primary division will become under-13. There will be no change to the under-17 or under-15 age groups.
THE 50 MOST DOMINANT PREMIERSHIP SEASONS ACROSS THE REGION SINCE 1990 - THE LIST SO FAR
No.6 - Strathfieldsaye 2015
No. 7 - Heathcote 2010
No. 8 - South Bendigo 1993
No. 10 & 9 - Golden Square 2010; Strathfieldsaye 2019
No. 12 & 11 - Castlemaine 2000; Strathfieldsaye 2014
No. 14 & 13 - Leitchville-Gunbower 2017; South Bendigo 1991
No. 16 & 15 - Colbinabbin 1999; Mount Pleasant 1995
No. 18 & 17 - YCW 1997; Bridgewater 2015
No. 20 & 19 - Mount Pleasant 1997; Mount Pleasant 1993
No. 22 & 21 - Bridgewater 2010; Bridgewater 2011
No. 24 & 23 - LBU 2011; Colbinabbin 1998
No. 26 & 25 - Gisborne 2003; LBU 2013
No. 28 & 27 - Gisborne 2002; Colbinabbin 1991
No. 30 & 29 - Maryborough 1998; Gisborne 2005
No. 32 & 31 - South Bendigo 1994; Golden Square 2009
No. 34 & 33 - Castlemaine 1992; South Bendigo 1990
No. 36 & 35 - Mitiamo 1999; Sandhurst 2016
No. 38 & 37 - North Bendigo 2019; Leitchville-Gunbower 2018
No. 40 & 39 - Bridgewater 1991; Calivil United 2017
No. 42 & 41 - Heathcote 1992, Sandhurst 2004
No. 44 & 43 - Eaglehawk 2008, Elmore 2007
No. 46 & 45 - Mount Pleasant 1990, Newbridge 2018
No. 48 & 47 - Gisborne 2006, Calivil United 1990
No. 50 & 49 - Calivil United 2003, Eaglehawk 2018
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Bendigo Advertiser, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thankyou very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Bendigo's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.
