From the Weekly Times
THE Maryborough Castlemaine league will run an under-12s competition this year. The clubs voted to launch the new grade earlier this month, after the demise of the Midlands Junior Football League. It is expected the under-12s matches will be held on Saturday mornings in line with the league's senior fixture. The move would mean five games of football on one day, made possible by a shortening of playing times in the reserves and slightly later starting times for senior fixtures.
Maryborough Castlemaine operations manager Scott Carey said the new grade was a boon for the league.
"We've been struggling over the past couple of years with our juniors in the under-15 and under-17.5 age groups, so (having) kids through the clubs from an early age is all positive."
In the state's east, the North Gippsland Football League will take over administration of the Traralgon and District Junior Football League this year.
Discussions began last September at the request of a number of junior clubs.
Several meetings were held over summer, with the North Gippsland board agreeing to assist for the wellbeing of junior football in Traralgon, despite the increased workload.
"To have a town the size of Traralgon without a junior football league would have been a crying shame," North Gippsland general manager Gordon Bayley said.
"The sport of football is already struggling with numbers at the junior levels with sports such as soccer becoming more popular and favoured by parents."
The Traralgon and District junior league is a feeder comp-etition for the Traralgon Football Club and six North Gippsland clubs.
The new administration arrangement will be reviewed at the end of the season.
