It has just been announced that the Penola Football & Netball Club will leave the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League at the completion of this season, and will join the new Limestone Coast Football Netball League for the 2025 season.
After several years of discussion about the future of the now defunct Western Border Football League and Western Border Netball Association, this year marks the inaugural season of the newly badged league.
While the LCFNL will play this season with its existing six clubs, there was a SANFL directive that a club from both the KNT and Mid South East Football League join the LCFNL in the 2025 season.
The Penola Football & Netball Club this afternoon released a statement from its football and netball club presidents announcing the decision to switch leagues.
“The SANFL has recently written to our club stating that the Penola Football and Netball Club has been unequivocally chosen to make the move from the KNTFL/KNTNA to the newly formed Limestone Coast Football Netball League (LFNL) in 2025,” the statement said.
“This letter comes after the SANFL have conducted a thorough review process and taken feedback from both the league executives and our club.
“The SANFL highlighted the following factors as crucial in the decision making process: location (and minimising travel), recruitment and retention, junior participation numbers and competitiveness.
“On Monday the 8th of April, the Penola Senior Football Committee, Penola Junior Football Committee and Penola Netball Committee all met to discuss the letter and the future of our club.
“The close proximity of the Limestone Football League, combined with the challenge and opportunity to work together with LCFNL to build a new league provides an attractive proposition.
“Similarly, the new structure and roll out the Limestone Coast Football and Netball League in 2024 has eased many of our previously held hesitations around moving leagues.
As such, all three committees unanimously voted that the Penola Football and Netball Club has formally expressed our intention to join the Limestone Coast Football and Netball League in 2025.
“We believe this league is a better fit for our senior footballers and netballers and provides greater future outcomes for our junior competitors. We are excited to help build and strengthen this new league in the South East of SA, whilst also enjoying less weekly travel commitments.
“We would like to thank the KNTFL and KNTNA for more than three decades of competition, comradery, and friendship. The KNT holds a huge place in the history of the Penola Football and Netball Club and we will be forever thankful for the memories. We wish all members of the KNTFL and KNTNA all the best for the future, and we look forward to this final season in your company in 2024.”
