DRUGS, alcohol and codes of conduct will top the agenda when the VCFL affiliates meet at the MCG tomorrow. Article first appeared: 11 August 2007 Herald Sun
The brainstorming session will feature a presentation from the Purana Taskforce and will involve about 100 league and club officials.
VCFL chief executive Glenn Scott said the forum was a chance for the VCFL to get on the front foot on major issues affecting country football and netball clubs.
"On the issue of drugs, none of us are quite sure to what extent they may exist around our country football and netball clubs," Scott said.
"We'd like to hear the thoughts of the people around the state on what might be needed.
"We'd like to have people understand that we are there to try and support what they may need in the future because it's an issue that is not going to go away."
The VCFL will also assess the role of alcohol in country football.
Scott said alcohol was a major part of country football but needed to be monitored in light of changing public perceptions.
"We think the pendulum has swung a little bit. There was probably significant reliance on alcohol over many years but these days responsible alcohol serving is important," he said.
"We want to talk about whether we should continue to have alcohol sold on a Saturday afternoon or should the bars be open for a lesser period.
"We know our football clubs have had a long association with alcohol and we'd like to think that going forward we're well aware of how best to continue to involve it in our day-to-day football and netball clubs."
A discussion on acceptable codes of conduct will tie in with the drugs and alcohol debate.
Scott said the main talking point was the behaviour of clubs and individuals on end-of-season trips.
"There are certain levels of behaviour that are inappropriate and we want to discuss how we, as a football fraternity, should deal with those incidents," he said.
"With around 30,000 games a year, no doubt we will have incidents that happen here or there, and, over the course of the year, that might be 10 or 12, and we know about them.
"But in the broader sense there are other things that we may not have heard."
The final topic of debate will be the future of central administrative hubs.
Scott said tomorrow's forum would allow smaller district leagues to tap into the extensive resources and experience of larger leagues.
He said central administrative hubs could be established in major regional and rural centres such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Warrnambool and Horsham.
"We've been encouraging leagues across the state to have their administrations handled under one umbrella," Scott said.
"The leagues will still operate as their own entity, from a governance point of view, but all the things like registration, appeals, clearances, scores and ladders are done centrally."
The VCFL special forum will be held at 10.15am tomorrow at the MCG
Worksafe VCFL affiliates are invited to attend.The previous forum, held two years ago, resulted in the abolition of the VCFL salary cap.