Yesterday, the bush footy season burst into life when the North Gippsland Football League played its opening round of matches. At Heyfield, cars and utes ringed the oval as the Kangaroos raised their 2009 premiership flag before taking on Churchill.
But while the NGFL's early start meant it was able to hog the spotlight this weekend, many of the region's footy fans are sure to be focussing on a much more anticipated contest next Saturday.
The game in question - Wonthaggi Power versus Leongatha - will be the centre of attention for a couple of key reasons. Firstly, it will be Wonthaggi's inaugural match in the newly named Gippsland League (formerly the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League). And most importantly, it will mark the resolution of a saga that has given country football administrators heartburn for the past five-and-a-half years.
"I think all parties are relieved that Wonthaggi Power have settled on what we believe is a good outcome," admits VCFL chief executive Glenn Scott.
The issue dates back to 2004 when Wonthaggi's two football clubs - the Blues and Rovers - merged. Citing the need to cut its travel times, the new outfit successfully applied to join the nearby Alberton league, a minor competition that had been home to the Rovers.
Backed by a population of nearly 7,000 people, the newly formed Wonthaggi Power subsequently began doing battle with clubs like Fish Creek and Tarwin, which are based in tiny towns. The results were predictable.
In 2005, Wonthaggi won the Alberton league premiership. A year later, its senior team finished the season undefeated with a percentage of 329.
Far from amused by the situation, the Power's rivals turned to country football's governing body for help, and the VCFL ruled that the club should move to a stronger competition for the 2007 season.
"There is no chance they will be staying in the Alberton league," Scott told The Age at the time. "They're a rural city playing against villages."
In response, Wonthaggi launched legal action and was able to stay put. At the time, club president Rob Tesoreiro claimed the Power could fold if forced into a major league, because it would suffer an exodus of players and supporters.
Today, he's keen to distance himself from those comments, yet is adamant the fight was worth it.
"We obviously didn't want to fade away into oblivion, but among our members there was always that fear," he explains. "Our members didn't want us to bow to the expectations of others."
Wonthaggi made its third successive grand final in '07, although it was beaten by Yarram. Shortly after, a legally binding agreement was reached that allowed the club to remain in the Alberton league for 2008 and '09 seasons, before moving on.
But it wasn't enough to settle the matter. Despite winning the premiership, Yarram's committee members were so upset with the situation that in early '08 they voted to forfeit a match against Wonthaggi in protest. Later that year relations soured further when the Power won another flag.
"It is all history now, but a lot of work went into exploring several options and everyone was doing what they thought was best," says Scott.
Last season, Wonthaggi made its fifth straight Alberton league grand final. In the big game, it took on Stony Creek, a club from a hamlet that has just a few houses and a racetrack. Remarkably, Stony Creek won the premiership, in what proved to be the Power's last hit-out in the guise of Goliath.
Yarram president Paul Clavarino says Wonthaggi's move to the Gippsland League has breathed new life into the competition it dominated for five seasons.
"All the clubs are relieved and they're starting to build up their lists again. It didn't worry me whether Wonthaggi was in or out, but I was really concerned about the toll it was taking on all the lesser lights like Toora, Fish Creek, MDU and the Allies. One or more of those clubs would've eventually folded.
"They're all now getting more enthusiastic about recruiting and playing games. They feel like it's back to normal. A lot of clubs have had players come back. Before there was no point in them playing because they were getting belted."
Tesoriero and his fellow Wonthaggi administrators no longer feel the need to challenge these arguments. Rather, they're focussing on the future.
Next Saturday, their club begins its new life as a medium-sized fish in a much bigger pond. For the people who were involved with Wonthaggi Blues, this year will be like old times, as they again visit Gippsland's rural cities. Resuming the Bass Highway derbies against Leongatha (the two communities are 34 kilometres apart) is something a number of Power supporters are looking forward to.
"Our Easter Saturday game against Leongatha, we're really looking forward to that," says Tesoriero. "We hope to draw a big crowd and establish a good strong rivalry."
Despite his dire predictions a couple of years ago, Tesoriero is now confident the Power can match it with the likes of Maffra (winners of seven premierships since 2002), Traralgon and Moe, which is being coached by former North Melbourne defender Troy Makepeace for a third season.
Wonthaggi has retained the majority of its 2009 squad, including playing-coach Paul Brosnan, while a number of talented recruits - four members of the famous Ablett clan among them - have landed in its lap.
"I'm pleased to say that not too many players have abandoned the club at all," Tesoriero admits. "And the employment situation with the desalination plant has helped. There's been an influx of people into the town and that's been really timely for us."
Some of the initial concerns about travel remain, especially for junior players. Under-16 games in the Gippsland League will begin at 9am, so the trips to Maffra (170 kilometres) in round 12 and Sale (164kms) in round 17, mean those youngsters will leave home at around 6.30am.
"But every second week those kids will be playing right here in Wonthaggi, on one of the better football ovals in Gippsland," says Tesoriero, espousing his newfound positive outlook.
"The whole club's looking forward to what's coming up in 2010. We hope to prove our [Alberton league] opposition correct. They said we could step up and be competitive. Well, we're going to step up and be the best club we can be."
THE WONTHAGGI POWER SAGA - A TIMELINE
2004: Wonthaggi Power formed after merger between Wonthaggi Blues and Wonthaggi Rovers. Club admitted to Alberton Football League.
2005: Wonthaggi defeats Fish Creek to win first Alberton league premiership.
2006: Wonthaggi senior team finishes season undefeated with a percentage of 329. Club wins senior, reserves, under-18 and under-15 premierships.
2007: Yarram first considers forfeiting a match in response to Wonthaggi's domination. Yarram later defeats the Power in the senior grand final. Wonthaggi administrators launch legal action after being ordered to leave the Alberton league by the VCFL.
2008: Yarram forfeits round six match against the Power and is fined $6,500. Wonthaggi ends home and away season undefeated.
2009: After being beaten by Stony Creek in the grand final, Wonthaggi is forced to leave the Alberton league. The club applies to join the Gippsland League. Its application is unanimously approved.
Article by Adam McNicol
Article first appeared The Sunday Age, March 29th, 2010
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