Upper Murray FL 2019

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Its not a good state of affairs. Only 4 teams and two are head and shoulders above the other two. Means that the top 2 get a decent game every 3 weeks and the bottom 2 get flogged 2 games every 3.

The problem is of course distance. Ideally you would merge with Tallangatta league and have division 1 with 8 teams and Division 2 with 8. Rutherglen, Wahgunyah, Dederang/Mt. Beauty and Wodonga Saints drop down to Division 2. You could play a couple of Wodonga Saints games at Bethanga. It's a tough ask to get Tumbarumba to go Dederang a couple of times a year though.
 
BigFrizz36 said:
Its not a good state of affairs. Only 4 teams and two are head and shoulders above the other two. Means that the top 2 get a decent game every 3 weeks and the bottom 2 get flogged 2 games every 3.

The problem is of course distance. Ideally you would merge with Tallangatta league and have division 1 with 8 teams and Division 2 with 8. Rutherglen, Wahgunyah, Dederang/Mt. Beauty and Wodonga Saints drop down to Division 2. You could play a couple of Wodonga Saints games at Bethanga. It's a tough ask to get Tumbarumba to go Dederang a couple of times a year though.
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Obviously the only option is just to keep going the way it is. Keep recruiting has beens out of Albury/Wodonga. Keep watching money walk out of the area. Keep asking 15 year old kids to play seconds footy. Keep watching families seek better for their kids elsewhere.

Just got to be happy with the same old same old because there’s no better option..
 

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Old Kenny said:
Obviously the only option is just to keep going the way it is. Keep recruiting has beens out of Albury/Wodonga. Keep watching money walk out of the area. Keep asking 15 year old kids to play seconds footy. Keep watching families seek better for their kids elsewhere.

Just got to be happy with the same old same old because there’s no better option..
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I think that they've got to think a bit left field or else it's only matter of time before it gets too hard. There are no easy options though.

How about they try the Tallangatta Division 2 model and build a neutral ground at the bottom of the hill (at around Bullioh but not the current Bullioh ground) a bit like Sandy Creek where the big distance games like Tumba v Dederang can be played and the home club can still run the gate. Then try desperately to get a couple of clubs up and running (e.g. Federals, Walwa) in the knowledge that you play a fair few different teams of varying standards and ability.

So with 10 teams you have 18 games playing each other at home and away

Cudgewa
Bullioh
Corryong
Federals
Tumbarumba
Walwa

Wodonga Saints (play home game v Tumburumba at Bethanga)

Wahgunyah
Rutherglen
Dederang/Mt Beauty

Now of course it wouldn't be easy. It would probably depend on Dederang and the Rutherglen clubs would be prepared to swap travel for regular beltings. Finals would be played at the new Bullioh ground.

Clearly its a bit of a thought bubble currently.
 
BigFrizz36 said:
I think that they've got to think a bit left field or else it's only matter of time before it gets too hard. There are no easy options though.

How about they try the Tallangatta Division 2 model and build a neutral ground at the bottom of the hill (at around Bullioh but not the current Bullioh ground) a bit like Sandy Creek where the big distance games like Tumba v Dederang can be played and the home club can still run the gate. Then try desperately to get a couple of clubs up and running (e.g. Federals, Walwa) in the knowledge that you play a fair few different teams of varying standards and ability.

So with 10 teams you have 18 games playing each other at home and away

Cudgewa
Bullioh
Corryong
Federals
Tumbarumba
Walwa

Wodonga Saints (play home game v Tumburumba at Bethanga)

Wahgunyah
Rutherglen
Dederang/Mt Beauty

Now of course it wouldn't be easy. It would probably depend on Dederang and the Rutherglen clubs would be prepared to swap travel for regular beltings. Finals would be played at the new Bullioh ground.

Clearly its a bit of a thought bubble currently.
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Mate I’m all for new ideas. The Corryong area can carry one really good team. It’s showing rite now. Cudgewa are flying. Corryong fc are just going.. not much more. Walwa are gone. There isn’t enough families down that way anymore. Your wahgunyahs and Rutherglens are just too far away and should look into a merger. Going there once in a season from the upper Murray could be done but that’s about it. Dmb are in a bit of strife by the looks. Seem to have good juniors though.

Just to be clear. There’s enough junior footballers up here to field one team in each grade and no club can plan long term without juniors imo.

There’s one option that makes sense above all others but that’s been howled down.
 
MortlockWatcher said:
Some elements seem as though they'd rather see their club survive in a two-team league than putting aside self-interest and adopting common sense for the benefit of football in the whole region into the future.
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After watching yesterday’s game it looks like a one team league!
 
Demon85 said:
Wow, Bullioh what an upset. I wonder how many of Cudgy’s old boys will be hanging them up?
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Bullioh played well. Cudgie didn’t look right all day.
The Bullioh boys already talking up another tilt at joining TDFL. They are saying winning this flag proves they are good enough to switch leagues.
 

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GranyaGoat said:
Bullioh played well. Cudgie didn’t look right all day.
The Bullioh boys already talking up another tilt at joining TDFL. They are saying winning this flag proves they are good enough to switch leagues.
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When you’ve got your best player saying he has only trained once with the team all year in the media...it’s probably not the best for team morale.
 
GranyaGoat said:
Bullioh played well. Cudgie didn’t look right all day.
The Bullioh boys already talking up another tilt at joining TDFL. They are saying winning this flag proves they are good enough to switch leagues.
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Their problem is, and it's the same across the whole league, is that a lot of people play there purely because the TDFL or other district leagues are either too hard, or they're in the twilight of their career and like a 15 game, one bye a month season. If they had 3 to 4 years of total domination of the 4 team league it would make a more compelling case.
 
GranyaGoat said:
I think Reidy (Bullioh) knows UMFL must survive if Bullioh is to survive. Tallangatta is targeting UM juniors and talent. A lot of UM surnames in their footy and netball lists.
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I think Tallangatta needs to look in their own backyard when it comes to juniors. The federals novelty is starting to wear off. I see the names of Tyrell, McKimmie, Paton etc running around in demons colours. It’s a lot of travelling taking kids down to play in places like Wahgunyah and Rutherglen.
 
Demon85 said:
I think Tallangatta needs to look in their own backyard when it comes to juniors. The federals novelty is starting to wear off. I see the names of Tyrell, McKimmie, Paton etc running around in demons colours. It’s a lot of travelling taking kids down to play in places like Wahgunyah and Rutherglen.
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Good points. But tell me what has the umfl done to step up to the challenge of what to do with the kids. Half the parents clearly want something more for their kids than what this league can provide. Corryong and Cudgewa both have reasonable sides in 12 and 14 footy but Bullioh and tumba just don’t have consistent numbers to make it a viable comp. And after that kids are supposed to step into reserves footy after only playing 12 a side footy on 2/3rds of a ground against 11 year olds?
 
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That’s why you see 15 to 17yos move clubs to Tallangatta or AW juniors.
Running the risk of losing them from UM. Creates a vicious cycle of no numbers coming through.
 

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Upper Murray FL 2019

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