Weekly Times | A CHANGE has proven better than a holiday for Jeparit-Rainbow.
The club is preparing to play finals for the first time since 2010, in its debut season in the Horsham and District Football League.
Jeparit-Rainbow was granted special approval to leave the Mallee league last year after a freeze was put on clubs moving competitions while a structural review, including the Mallee league, took place.
“It’s been nothing but positive, it’s probably exceeded all our expectations,” Jeparit-Rainbow president Brett Fisher said.“It’s been a bright new start.”
The Storm finished this season with 10 wins to earn an elimination final berth against Taylors Lake on Sunday. The Storm lost to Taylors Lake in Round 2 by 35 points, but defeated the Lakers by 11 points in Round 13.
Senior co-coach Mark Cocks said the club was rapt to make the finals in its first year in the league. “We played Taylors Lake a few weeks ago and did enough to show we’re in the ballpark,” Cocks said.
Fisher said the Storm would welcome Mallee league club Southern Mallee Giants into the league next season — as the review has recommended — because an extra club would strengthen the competition, and the Giants’ location suited them geographically.