WDFNL coaches call for return to AFL Victoria Community Championships after Bottle Green success

Triple AFL premiership player Jonathan Brown recently led the Hampden league to the precipice of the Community Championships' top five.

And this left some in the WDFNL community wondering how well the league, which hasn't competed since a 28-point loss to the Maryborough Castlemaine District in 2017, could now fare on the big stage.

Dennington premiership player Luke Duncan, set to retire on Saturday, made four interleague appearances and said it was an honour to don the tri-colour jersey.

"I can't work out why they're not doing interleague anymore," he said.

"It was one of the best experiences I had."

Former Merrivale player and longtime observer Philip 'Possum' Kelly said it was a shame the WDFNL no longer participated.

"Interleague is about being successful and then creating an awareness of the league," he said.

"The league isn't going so well right now with a major gap between the top handful of sides and the rest.

"We're just plugging along, so for the benefit of the league we need to raise its profile and visibility to boost recruitment of players.

"And the Hampden league is a great example of what you can achieve."

The WDFNL was ranked number 30 in 2017 but has since dropped out of the standings. It enjoyed mixed fortunes at the Community Championships this decade with two wins and two losses in four outings.

But Kelly said the WDFNL would give the Colac and District league, ranked 24^th, a run for its money, with the top 20 a realistic goal.

And going by history, he's got a point, with the WDFNL losing to the CDFNL by 13 points in 2013 before knocking them off by seven the following season.

Meanwhile Nirranda, third in the WDFNL, matched it with Lorne, third in the CDFNL, during a practice match earlier this year.

"Once upon a time it was one of the strongest district leagues around," Kelly said.

The biggest hurdle to an interleague return would be the financial cost borne out to clubs and the league in terms of playing kits and travel.

In 2016 the WDFNL's interleague adventures cost the executive more than $11,000.

League president Michael Harrison said the option was put in front of clubs in early 2019 with a negative response.

"They didn't want to be a part of it," he said.

"I think a lot it has to do with expenses, but that's something we'll look at from year to year.

"If there's means and ways we can make it attractive to the clubs, then we'll do that.

"I hope it gets back because I'm a big fan of interleague and anything is possible."

The other major problem relates to personnel.

The presence of Jonathan Brown was a major factor in the Hampden league's rise up the Community Championships ranking from 11 to six.

But who could play a similar role for the WDFNL?

Dennington premiership coach Darcy Lewis was the last man to coach the tri-colours after he took over from Simon O'Keefe in 2015.

And while the four WDFNL coaches contacted by The Standard held Lewis and O'Keefe in high regard, they couldn't name an obvious candidate for the future.

"Maybe that's the trouble - there's no Jonathan Brown," Kolora-Noorat mentor Ben Walsh said.

"But it just needs to be someone passionate, whether they're involved with a club or not."

Despite Harrison's comments, coaches of the WDFNL's three dominant sides in Kolora-Noorat, Nirranda and Old Collegians all said they would welcome a return to interleague and happily put their best players up for selection.

Nirranda mentor Shane Threlfall made it perfectly clear where he stood on the issue.

"Our boys would love to play," he said.

"I've always been a huge supporter of interleague.

"And we need to participate because it's a great opportunity to play against the best.

"So personally I think it's an indictment on the league that we're not involved."

Walsh said while the Power would support it, a different approach to the Hampden league would be needed.

He said generally the WDFNL's best players are ex-HFNL footballers stepping down in the twilight of their career or inexperienced teenagers starting out.

"I'm not sure if those older guys would have that ambition - if they wanted to play at the highest level locally they would stay in the Hampden league," he said.

Old Collegians coach Nick Sheehan shared Walsh's concern regarding the interest of WDFNL veterans, but supported the idea overall and said it would be the perfect opportunity for developing players.

He highlighted the fact Port Fairy's Kaine Mercovich, just 21, won best on ground for the Hampden league against Ballarat and said the Warriors' own Jacob Brooks, 18, could thrive in a WDFNL side.

"Kaine set the world alight," Sheehan said.

"So I think younger players are the way to go."

When Kelly posted on Twitter that now was the time for the WDFNL to rejoin the Community Championships, Panmure coach Chris Bant responded with something unexpected.

"I would prefer a country versus city game," he said.

This Bant, explained, would pit Merrivale, Russells Creek, South Rovers, East Warrnambool, Dennington and Old Collegians against Kolora-Noorat, Allansford, Timboon Demons, Nirranda and Panmure.

Bant told The Standard while he just messing around with the exhibition game idea, it spawned from the fact he had doubts the league could overcome financial issues and commitment from senior players, as mentioned by Walsh and Sheehan.

"It would be interesting to see the buy-in for a locally-held city versus country game," he said.

"I think country would win, but it would definitely be an even match with a good mix of teams."

And while not universally popular, with Threlfall disinterested in anything outside the official Community Championships, there was some support for what could become the 'Chris Bant Cup'.

"There's a strong rivalry and I think it would be a pretty intriguing contest," Walsh said.

"I'm not sure how many would commit, but I like the idea."

Meanwhile, Kelly said it could mirror an old 'east versus west' format once used.

"It's got some merit," he said.

"But it might not have the same sense of purpose as interleague."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.