Bill West
In a significant move for the future, Kyneton Football Netball Club’s junior football teams will transfer from the Bendigo League to the Riddell League next season.
“Our club is looking forward to joining Riddell next season and recognise that we need to implement additional actions to support our junior development and retention to improve our junior numbers,” Kyneton president Hayden Evans said.
Kyneton will remain aligned with the Bendigo Football Netball League for its senior football and netball teams, and the Riddell League for its junior boys and girls’ football teams. Kyneton’s senior women’s football team will also switch to the RDFNL.
Riddell League staff and the board have been doing a lot of work in the background with Kyneton, and the league’s CEO Jordan Doyle said the move is one the league has had in its sights for a number of years, and he is pleased to see it come to fruition.
“The RDFNL has long seen Kyneton FNC as a good fit for our competitions and the board, staff and member clubs are looking forward to them joining our league and want to wish them all the very best for not only the 2023 season, but beyond,” Doyle said.
“The RDFNL is committed to continuing to grow our league, both internally and externally, and Kyneton joining will only strengthen all of our competitions.”
Riddell League clubs voted unanimously in favour of Kyneton joining the RDFNL junior competition.
SUB-COMMITTEE PROBE
The Kyneton club has been working on developing the governance and sustainability of the club in recent seasons, and decided to review the current junior program to determine future development opportunities.
The Tigers’ sub-committee undertook a detailed review and parent engagement process to identify chances to improve participant enjoyment, skill development, family connection and options to increase junior numbers.
An assessment of KFNC junior registrations over the past 10 years identified a decline in the number of teams, dropping from 12 in 2014 to seven last season.
A core objective of the review process included an assessment of the most appropriate league for Kyneton’s junior teams next season.
The sub-committee met with both the Bendigo and Riddell leagues to determine opportunities and benefits for 2023.
This engagement identified that Kyneton being with Riddell would support its junior players participating against teams in the Macedon Ranges, reduce travel distances, and play home games with all junior teams on the same day.
Kyneton’s junior football director, Daniel Murray, said having all junior teams playing together during home games was a substantial benefit to junior parents and players.
“It enables families to watch multiple children playing matches at the Showgrounds Reserve, which supports a strong family culture at the club,” Murray said.
The club invited junior families to an information session with the Riddell League’s junior executive in September to allow parents to gain a better understanding of their competition.
Kyneton’s goal is to continue to focus on building the club from the ground up.
This means providing a community club that can provide all levels of play from juniors to the seniors while fostering an environment of teamwork, trust, dedication and respect.
The consultation process determined the Tiger juniors are best positioned to increase player participation and club connectivity by moving to the Riddell League.
An off-shoot of the Kyneton and Riddell League decision may be a revival of the old geographic view that Kyneton may well be better suited in the Riddell League, rather than in Bendigo – this was advocated a long time ago by then Kyneton president Ron Brunsdon, but triggered strong opposition and nothing eventuated.
# Any young players interested in playing for the Kyneton Tigers in 2023 is invited to email the club on juniorfootball@kynetonfnc.com
