‘Envious clubs stifle league’

By Brad Kingsbury
OUTSPOKEN Berwick Football Club president Peter Jensen has called on the MPNFL board to allow Casey Cardinia League clubs the right to vote on their own rule changes.
The move was made after 32 clubs affiliated with the MPNFL over its three competitions (Casey Cardinia, Peninsula and Nepean Leagues), met recently and voted against a number of proposals, Jensen believed would have helped the Casey Cardinia League continue its stunning growth.
The general feeling across the Casey Cardinia district was that club officials in the other two leagues were envious that the former South West Gippsland league clubs had rebuilt themselves and their competition to now be rated by many as the best in the MPNFL.
Jensen was supported by Keysborough president Clay Cullen who said that a number of Nepean League presidents in particular were resistant to change.
A key proposal voted down at the meeting involved specific changes to the current Player Point System (PPS) that would have allowed one marquee player or coach an exemption from the system.
Jensen said it was disappointing that the Casey Cardinia League’s progressive outlook was being stifled by clubs that had no interest in the area.
“We are under the best football administration there is in the MPNFL, but we are three separate leagues. In the end they don’t care about us and we don’t care about them,” said Jensen referring to the Peninsula and Nepean League competitions.
“They should not vote on issues that we put up and we should not be voting on theirs.
“We know where we’re heading and we’re trying to make this the best league we can. The other leagues are comfortable and they’re not thinking of the future.”
Jensen added that the resistance of both other MPNFL leagues to embrace netball was a perfect example of their lack of foresight.
Cullen agreed and said that while he was all for one form of governance (the MPNFL), the three competitions had differences and that needed to be recognised.
“The demographics of the areas are different and so is the attitude to football,” he said.
“The Casey Cardinia League is moving ahead faster than Peninsula and Nepean (leagues) and the people involved in each league should be able to vote on what’s right for them and their conditions.”
MPNFL general manager Ian Benson said that the three competitions already had the ability to vote on minor issues pertaining to their specific league.
However any further autonomy would require a major rule change at the league’s 4 December annual general meeting.