The Penola Football Netball Club has no knowledge of a reported plan by the SANFL for it to rejoin the Western Border competition.

According to interstate press reports, the SANFL wants to expand the current six club Western Border composition to eight teams with the addition of Portland and Penola.

The press reports state Penola and Portland will be guaranteed hosting rights for the 2024 and 2025 grand finals, with all future finals fixtures shared equally among the eight clubs.

The SE Voice reported this week the Western Border and SANFL had approached Portland Football Netball Club about a possible return and the Victorian Tigers were weighing this up.

The Hamilton Kangaroos Football Netball Club had shown no interest in a similar scenario, citing redevelopment of its Melville Oval base as a higher priority.

The SE Voice has approached the Adelaide headquarters of the SANFL for an update on the current negotiations and was told a statement will be provided to the media in due course.

However, Penola Football Netball Club president Matt Tilby has heard nothing from the SANFL about the latest proposal.

“There has been nothing yet: no official approach and no unofficial approach,” Mr Tilby said.

“We are currently happy in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara.

“I attended a meeting of the KNT clubs at Naracoorte a few weeks ago and joined with them in opposing the suggested expansion of the KNT with the addition of four clubs from the Western Border.”

Mr Tilby said he would present any SANFL proposal to the club membership.

“I will listen to the people as that is my responsibility as president,” he said.

“Back in 2021, there was supposed to be a plan for Kalangadoo and Penola to join the Western Border but we were not informed.”

Mr Tilby has played in the three SE football leagues in this region at South Gambier, Nangwarry and Penola and been a premiership player, club champion and A Grade coach.

Founded in 1865, Penola is one of the oldest football clubs in Australia.

Since World War II, Penola has competed in five different leagues and associations, and enjoyed premiership success in three of them.

It was a foundation member of the Western Border in 1964 but left around 25 years later without winning an A Grade flag.

Penola has since won senior premierships in the KNTFL in 2001, 2003, 2013 and 2016 and it hosted an AFL trial game involving the Adelaide Crows in 1998.