By Adam McNicol

 

Since the first football competitions were founded in the bush, clubs from tiny towns have been forced to compete with those based in major population centres. Not surprisingly, history tells us the big boys have usually prevailed.

 

There are many such examples. In the Wimmera league, the Horsham Demons, from a rural city of 13,000 people, have won 18 flags, including the past four, since the WFL began in 1937. Ararat (population 7000) is next best with 11. Nhill (2000) and Dimboola (1700) have just four each.

 

Many such inequalities will never disappear. But that doesn’t mean all the little clubs are happy. In fact, in the Gippsland-based Alberton league, they are demanding change. It’s a battle that could yet end up in the courts.

 

The dispute’s beginnings date back only three years. In 2004, the Wonthaggi community decided its town, located 130kms from Melbourne, with a population of 8000, could no longer support two football clubs. The Wonthaggi Blues, who had been playing in the West Gippsland Latrobe league, joined forces with the Alberton-based Wonthaggi Rovers.

 

From the marriage was born the Wonthaggi Power. After adopting Port Adelaide’s black, white and teal jumper, the new club had another decision. Should it take the Blues’ place in the major league or the Rovers’ position in the minor league? The members resoundingly voted for the latter.

 

It was a move that surprised many local football followers. The Wonthaggi Blues had been consistently successful against strong clubs from rural cities like Traralgon and Sale. From 2000 to 2004, they never finished the home and away season lower than third on the ladder.

 

The Rovers had also been competitive on the field, making the finals in both 2002 and 2003.

 

With the entire community rallying behind the new club, Wonthaggi Power wasted little time making its presence felt in the Alberton league. In 2005, the Power lost just three home and away matches then toppled hot favourites Fish Creek in the grand final.

 

Last year, Wonthaggi’s domination was even more emphatic. It did not lose a game, amassed a percentage of 329, and defeated Yarram to take home another flag.

 

Wonthaggi’s rivals became desperate to see the club move on. Last November, after an approach from the Alberton league executive, the VCFL decided the Power had to shift to a major league at the end of the 2007 season.

 

“There is no chance they will be staying in the Alberton league,” said VCFL general manager Glenn Scott. “We had to make a decision and based on all the information available it was extremely clear cut. Their on-field strength is only part of it. They’re a rural city playing against villages.

 

“They must be in a major league and that means either the West Gippsland Latrobe or the Casey-Cardinia. That’s not our decision they can work that out. We gave them two years in the Alberton league and they have proved too strong for it.”

 

But the committed men and women, who have turned Wonthaggi Power into a force, are adamant such a change could ruin their dream of creating one strong, sustainable football club in the town.

 

Power president Rob Tesoriero previously headed the Blues. He says that club’s onfield success masked the many problems that led to the merger.

 

“The juniors were really suffering and that was tearing the heart out of the club,” he said.

 

Tesoriero is in no doubt the same thing will happen to the Power, if they are forced to play in the major league. He says local parents will refuse to drive their children 160 kilometres to Sale and Maffra. Instead, he believes they will simply join one of the nearby Alberton league clubs, like Dalyston, which is just seven kilometres away.

 

“If, when we merged, we said we were going to play in the West Gippsland Latrobe league, it would not have happened,” he said. “One club would’ve folded and that would most likely have been the Blues.

 

“A black and white part of the merger was to join the Alberton league. We wanted to play local footy. For the Blues, 90 percent of the problem was travel. It’s no good playing footy away if no-one goes with you.”

 

The VCFL does not agree that an aversion to travel is a legitimate reason for the Power to stay where they are. Scott says the addition to the WGLFL of Garfield, Drouin and Warragul, means there are now five clubs close to Wonthaggi.

 

“When there were only half-a-dozen clubs in the West Gippy Latrobe league, Wonthaggi would have made up to four trips down the other end (to Sale and Maffra). Now they should have just one or two.

 

“The West Gippsland Latrobe executive would be welcoming of them. That would make it a true, strong major league in Gippsland.”

 

Tesoriero acknowledges the Power have a massive population advantage over rivals like Fish Creek, which has around 200 people. Yet, he says Wonthaggi should not be viewed as a one-club town, because it provides players for Dalyston, Kilcunda-Bass, Inverloch-Kongwak and Tarwin.

 

Last weekend, Wonthaggi played host to fourth placed Phillip Island. The Power again confirmed their strength with a 103-point win.

 

A far more competitive clash was expected yesterday, when they took on Yarram, which won the grand final replay in round one by a single point. It is the only game Wonthaggi has lost this season.

 

“We went in there with an unwritten mandate to play local footballers,” said Tesoriero. “We’re lucky that at the moment we’ve got a very talented bunch of home grown players. If that’s a crime then we’re guilty.”

 

At this point, Wonthaggi has lost its battle to stay in the Alberton league.

 

“I’m not sure any court in the world can force 10 or 11 football clubs to play against another one,” said Scott. “We need small towns fighting in their own weight division and places like Wonthaggi playing against towns their own size.”

 

But the war is far from over.

 

“We will do all we can to stay,” said Tesoriero. “We’re still in the process of exploring all those avenues. We’re going to stay positive.

 

“Our supporters are not ready to move. They won’t be here if they don’t want to be there. You can’t just pick up a club and put it down somewhere else. The club you pick up won’t be the same one you put down.”

(ENDS)

 

 

FOUNDED: 2005

COMPETITION: Alberton Football League

NICKNAME: The Power

GUERNSEY: Black, white and teal stripes

HOME GROUND: Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve

SENIOR COACH: Charlie Ware

PREMIERSHIPS: 2 – 2005-06 (Alberton FL)

WEBSITE: wonthaggipowerfc.vcfl.com.au

 

 

Club: Melbourne (1986-97)

Games: 235

Goals: 48

 

Clubs: Carlton (1966-74), Footscray (1974)

Games: 129

Goals: 87

 

 

CLUB                                        W-L-D               %

YARRAM                                  13-0                  233.1               

WONTHAGGI POWER          12-1                  257.8

TOORA & DISTRICT                9-4                    141.5

PHILLIP ISLAND                      7-6                    117.4

TARWIN                                     7-6                    112.1

FISH CREEK                             6-6-1                 97.6

Inverloch-Kongwak                  6-6-1                 92.0

Dalyston                                     6-7                    101.2

Kilcunda-Bass                          6-7                    94.7

Foster                                         5-7-1                 85.1

Stony Creek                               5-7-1                 80.5

Korumburra-Bena                    4-9                    74.1

DWWWW                                   2-11                  45.6

Meeniyan-Dumbalk Utd          1-12                  45.0

 

* DWWWW is Devon-Welshpool-Won Wron-Woodside

 

 

2006: Wonthaggi Power

2005: Wonthaggi Power

2004: Tarwin

2003: DWWWW

2002: Fish Creek

2001: Fish Creek

2000: Fish Creek

1999: DWWWW

1998: DWWWW

1997: Korumburra

Article First appeared: The Age 22 June 2007