The Courier | Eddy Comelli admits he has concerns for Smythesdale’s future ahead of the club’s crisis meeting later this month.
The Central Highlands Football League president said he has had discussions with the club and is worried by its current position just over a month out from the start of the 2017 season.
“We are concerned on the basis of what’s been said and what they said,” Comelli told The Courier.
Comelli said the league will support the club in any way it can, but added “if they haven’t got numbers, they haven’t got numbers”.
“We will consider all scenarios to try and assist in their survival,” he said.
Smythesdale this week posted a Facebook message calling on all “past, present members and football community/stakeholders” to attend a “crisis meeting” on February 27.
Bulldogs president Dave Tuohy said on Friday that he feels the club will be able to field a senior football team, but believes it is “50-50” to manage a reserves outfit.
He expects there to be enough numbers for all other grades of football and netball.
Tuohy said another key concern is the lack of volunteers around the club.
League administrator Diane Ryan said members of the CHFL board, the Bulldogs, AFL Goldfields and the Golden Plains Shire Council – which is currently rebuilding the Smythesdale oval – will aim to hold a meeting sometime during the next week.
The issues at Smythesdale come after a memorable 2016 campaign for the senior side, which broke a five-year drought with its round two triumph over Skipton.
The Bulldogs backed that up two weeks later with victory over Carngham-Linton and avoided the wooden spoon at season’s end.
Smythesdale is set to open its new campaign against Rokewood-Corindhap on Saturday, April 1.
The Bulldogs are to play a handful of their early home games away from the Smythesdale ground until the project is complete.