By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Glen Football Netball Club is facing an uncertain start to the season.
The carpet and floorboards of the clubrooms were drastically damaged when the floods hit, and it looks unlikely the rooms will be available until at least halfway through the season, if at all.
Assistant Coach and Committee Member Lee Lawrence said it is not helping the club’s drive to recruit players.
“At the minute we’ve got nowhere to get changed and that’s alright for now, but come the middle of winter when it’s freezing cold and we’ve got both boys and girls, footballers and netballers, they will want to be in there,” he said
“It’s just not very inviting at all and is making it hard for the club to be an attractive place to play, we really need some portables in or just for the players to have somewhere.”
Before the floods hit the clubrooms in October, the club also took a big hit when they had to forfeit their hosting rights for the 2022 finals in the Division One competition as the Yarra River burst its banks and flooded the ground.
Mr Lawrence between players not returning after Covid, the cost of living forcing players to choose to work on matchdays and the lack of clubrooms, it’s been a few factors that have created a recipe for disaster.
“We’ve had to pull out of two of our practice matches and we’ve got another one this week that looks like we’re going to have to pull out of again. After Easter, Round One starts and we don’t know what we will do,” he said.
“We obviously need as much support as we can get, this club has been around for a long time and it’s a great place with great people, the town is a thriving town so the last thing we want to see is the Yarra Glen Football Netball Club fold.”
The Yarra Glen Football Netball Club is 135 years old this year, having formed in 1888.
Tests are continuously being conducted to check whether the clubrooms are dried out and the flooring and carpet can be replaced, but the process is slow due to the water table the club is situated on.
Anyone who is interested in pulling on the River Pigs jersey in season 2023 to help ensure the club can participate can get in touch at yarraglenfnc@gmail.com, 0431 680 990 or come to training on Tuesday or Thursday evenings.
