The presidents of the Mid South Eastern and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football Leagues are relieved their clubs want each competition to remain untouched despite the possibility of change.

On Tuesday, November 23, 2021, the Limestone Coast Regional Football Council released its final report in its review of the sustainability and structure of football on the Limestone Coast.

The council had formed a working party to assist with the various strategic and operational matters, the most immediate being the recommendation of Penola and Kalangadoo leaving its respective homes in the KNT and MSE for a newly minted competition including the six Western Border teams.

The LCRFC gave both clubs until June/July 2022 to consider the possibility of following through with the much-publicised move.

However, not even a month had passed and both clubs stood tall and decided it was in their best interests to stay put and maintain the status quo.

KNTFL president Peter McLennan said everyone was thrilled to hear the news the Eagles want to keep flying in the 10-team competition.

“We are ecstatic,” he said.

“We are happy Penola went through the process looking at the pros and cons.

“There were too many cons and not enough pros, so they are happy to stay in our league and we want them to stay.

“We just did not want to lose them because we have a league which may get smaller in time with the demographics of country towns getting smaller.

“So we did not want to lose one of our bigger and stronger clubs get taken away.

“We now look forward to 2022 and onwards with Penola in our league.”

MSEFL president Peter Mitchell (pictured) said the Magpies staying in their current nest was also the best fit for all parties moving forward.

“From what I know about football in the Limestone Coast, I just did not think it was going to be a good fit for Kalangadoo as a long-term sustainable solution,” he said.

“They saw the same thing with their future lying with the Mid South Eastern competition and I am very pleased.”

One of the big factors behind Penola’s push to stay in the KNT football and netball community was the strong backing from every club showing how much it valued seeing blue and white faithful on and off the field each year.

McLennan said this camaraderie was a reflection of the togetherness the rivals have once the final siren and whistle is heard.

“Everyone contacted them and offered support, wanting them to stay,” he said.

“The 10 clubs work very well together because we enjoy playing with each other and supporting their communities.

“We love going down to Penola, going to the lolly shops or drinking fine wine or heading down to Kingston and getting a lobster.

“We are a happy little community league and will continue to help each other.”

Mitchell also personally spoke to Kalangadoo in the immediate aftermath of the LCRFC’s final report but gave the club space to make the decision itself.

He said it would have been a huge blow to lose one of the longest surviving Mid South Eastern members.

“Along with Glencoe and Tantanoola, Kalangadoo has been there since the association was first formed in 1935 and when we became a league in 1952,” Mitchell said.

“They have been an active club on the league executive in seniors and juniors and have had tremendous success, especially in netball.

“I think they are an important part of our league as all clubs are.

“We all need each other to be around to keep the competition we have.”

Last week the MSE fixture for the 2022 football and netball seasons was released and the biggest takeaway was the Grand Final venue.

Kalangadoo will host the last Saturday in September next year and some could have viewed it as an incentive for the Magpies to stay in the Mid South Eastern league, but Mitchell denied the theory saying it was always their turn.

“There is a schedule of all the clubs hosting each final and in previous years if any club was scheduled to play in a final they were meant to host, the venue would be changed to the next available club,” he said.

“So if Kalangadoo was supposed to host a Grand Final, but was playing, it would be in line to host next year.

“But at the AGM this year it was decided that was not going to be the case anymore and it will go ahead wherever it is scheduled.”

Mitchell did not believe the time was right for change and thought the LCRFC’s “catalyst” had not arrived yet.

“The three competitions are still very viable and sustainable in the short term and probably for the foreseeable future,” he said,

“The only problem is Western Border having just six clubs, but 13 – more than half – of the 25 country leagues in South Australia have six teams or less, so it is nothing new.

“The changes proposed were in no way benefiting the Mid South Eastern or KNT, all it would have done was give two extra clubs to Western Border.

“But any club they would have picked from the two leagues would find it very hard to compete with the resources the Western Border clubs have.

“As was stated to us at the start of the review, every club was happy with where they were and every league did not have any great concerns about the immediate future and they wanted to make a blueprint if some sort of catalyst for change happens.

“But we have not had any catalyst or significant disaster that has happened to make change.

“So I think Penola and Kalangadoo have made the right decision for everyone at their club and what needs to happen is a different thought process needs to be looked at if change will be introduced.”

The Western Border Football League was contacted by The SE Voice, but declined to comment.