Frustration with draw delay

FROM BACK PAGE petition this season, drawing players aged between eight and 12 from Loddon communities.

Laura said the league was keen to encourage junior players to be part of the team wearing Loddon Valley colours. While expressions of interest officially closed yesterday, Laura said the league wanted to maximise participation of youngsters.

Justice has praised AFL Central Victoria for finding a sixth club in the new competition.

Dockers will draw players from unaligned Loddon Valley clubs and list extras in the Bendigo league for the combine side to play the existing five former Loddon Valley junior teams. But he said ideas floated in last week’s letter to clubs from Hartley were not the answer greater connection.

“Country footy is all about being engaged with your club. All this (midweek matches) does is remove the boys further from that,” Justice said.

When Loddon Valley opted out of running a junior competition, league and club officials believed that the majority of matches would be at local grounds.

They remained committed to the new format competition as the most viable way to reinvigorate junior football in the re-