With Mount Waverley FNC going into recess for season 2019, the Southern Football Netball League has had to make changes to the divisional structure. Although this has happened late, the League believes this is best solution for 2019.
After discussing the situation with the Division 3 clubs at the forum and the Division 4 clubs post the forum, the SFNL has come up with the following structure for season 2019:
DIVISION 3
Ashwood
Black Rock
Cerberus
Clayton
Endeavour Hills
HamptonPark
DIVISION 4
Carrum Patterson Lakes
Dandenong
Frankston Dolphins
Hallam
Lyndale
Lyndhurst
Moorabbin
South Yarra
In making these decisions, the League has taken into account:
- Division 3 clubs said the highest priority with Mount Waverley going was for the League to eliminate the bye from the fixture
- Division 3 clubs felt that the League should invite a club to come up to Division 3. All Division 4 clubs were offered to come up, which in the end, although there was some slight interest, they all declined
- The SFNL was then approached by South Yarra FNC requesting to go down to Division 4 to eliminate the bye in Division 3. Although only leaving 6 teams in Division 3, this was a good fit; they were not competitive in Division 3 in 2018 with a percentage of around 35%, as well as having issues with their ground. This move would eliminate the bye and also make Division 3 more competitive as a competition, as the League does have a responsibility around sustainability through competition equalisation where possible
- The SFNL was then approached by Sandown FC, who can only commit to 1 team in 2019, and requested that, rather than playing Seniors only in Division 4 and creating byes in the Reserves, they go to the “Thirds” competition. With Sandown FC going to the Thirds, it also eliminates the bye by having 8 teams in Division 4 rather than 9 with South Yarra FC coming down
Therefore, the SFNL has resolved to have a 6-team Division 3 competition and an 8-team Division 4 competition in 2019, while putting Sandown into the Thirds competition. The League will continue working with both Sandown and Mount Waverley throughout the year with a view to helping them return to senior competition in season 2020.
The fixtures have been reworked to reflect these changes so there are no byes and all Division 3 and 4 clubs have 9 home and 9 away games. PDF versions of the new Divbision 3 and Division 4 fixtures can be viewed below.
The SFNL apologises for the time it has taken, but we had to work through all scenario’s with the clubs in question
