Berwick Springs Football Netball Club to Join Southern Football Netball LeagueBerwick Springs Football Netball Club to Join Southern Football Netball League Due to concerns over relegation and the potential departure of key players, members of Berwick Springs Football Netball Club have overwhelmingly voted to leave the Outer East Football Netball (OEFN) league and join the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) in 2025. Currently at the bottom of the Outer East Premier Football Division, the Titans faced relegation to Division One at the end of 2024, which would have meant long travel distances to towns like Alexandra and Yarra Junction. The club’s A-grade netball team, which was promoted after the football team’s success in 2023, is also struggling at the bottom of the Premier Division ladder. Chairman Ashley Allison expressed concerns that the club would lose many players if it remained in OEFN, risking an exodus. Allison stated that the decision to leave OEFN was “disappointing” but acknowledged the attractive factors of the SFNL. The league offers a wider range of competitions, more options for travel, and the ability to spread netball across multiple divisions, allowing Berwick Springs to position its teams accordingly. The application follows a similar request from Narre Warren last month. If successful, Berwick Springs will become the third OEFN team to join the SFNL within the past year, with Hallam returning in 2023 after spending a season in the OEFN. The club’s departure highlights the ongoing challenges and changes within the Outer East Football Netball region.
By Marcus Uhe
Members of Berwick Springs Football Netball Club have voted by an “overwhelming majority” to move the league and join the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) in 2025, leaving Outer East Football Netball (OEFN).
The decision comes in the wake of the Titans’ looming relegation prospect at the end of 2024, which would see them join Division One and travel to towns including Alexandra, Yea and Yarra Junction.
The Titans are in last place in the Outer East Premier Football Division. In April, the league announced that the bottom three teams in the Premier Division would be relegated.
The Titans’ A-grade netball team, promoted following the football team’s success in 2023, are also last on the Premier Division’s A-grade ladder.
Berwick Springs chairman Ashley Allison believed the club would risk an exodus of players leaving if the club decided to remain in OEFN, risking relegation.
“So far we haven’t had the success we wanted, but we have recruited a number of players, well over 10, to come and play Premier Division football,” said Allison.
“If we went back and said we were in Division One, the reality would be we would lose 100 per cent of those players.”
He said it was “disappointing” that the club had come to the decision to leave OEFN behind, but said there were a number of attractive factors about the SFNL.
“We think there is a wide range of competitions possible for us (in SFNL) as a club,” he said.
“Travel is a big issue for us if we were to play in the First Division, but there are lots of options, with four divisions in SFNL and the ability to spread netball across 14 divisions.
“We can then position our teams where we think best suits them in the competition.
“We are concerned about netball merging with football because we have really struggled with netball to be competitive in the Premier Division.
“Not everyone was happy with that decision, but we had to stick to the majority rules.”
The application stems from Narre Warren’s application to become a member of the SFNL last month.
If the application is successful, the Titans will be the third OEFN team in the past 12 months to apply to move to the SFNL. Hallam returns in 2023 after one season in the OEFN.
