Karoonda, Peake sporting clubs will merge, join River Murray competition
The Mallee football league and netball association have folded after two more clubs voted to merge and join the RMFL and RMNA.
The River Murray’s football and netball competitions are poised to gain an eighth club in 2023.
Members of the clubs at Peake and Karoonda voted in favour of a merger at special meetings held this Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
The combined club will apply to join the River Murray football league and netball association.
Meningie and Border Downs-Tintinara had already voted to do the same, as the Coorong Cats, in 2023.
The presidents of Karoonda and Peake’s sporting clubs announced the move in a Facebook post on Friday.
“Our key focus has always been ensuring we can deliver football and netball opportunities in Peake and Karoonda now and for generations to come,” they said.
“Sport is vital and the life blood of our district; it drives our physical and social wellbeing and provides opportunities for our broader community to feel a sense of belonging.
“We look forward to a future where our kids can continue to play senior sport for our clubs.”
Mick O’Hara – chair of a committee which had spent the past year looking at the future of football in the Murraylands, Mallee and Riverland – had strongly suggested that the move was coming earlier this month.
At the time, RMFL president Michelle Hill said the league would be ready to admit an eighth club next season if required, pending checks on the new club’s facilities and financials.
Mallee league will fold, effective immediately
The two clubs’ announcement prompted the Mallee Football League and Mallee Netball Association to announce, only hours later, that they would cease to exist in 2023.
The departures of BDT, Karoonda and Peake, and rumoured departure of Murrayville for the Riverland Independent Football League, would have left the Mallee with just two clubs: Lameroo and Pinnaroo.
The Hawks and Supa Roos issued a joint statement on Friday afternoon, hinting at another possible merger.
“We are confident of our two clubs’ abilities to work together to continue to bring local football and netball to our towns,” they said.
“Our clubs are both strong in their history, followings and love for competitive sport.
“The passions that once made us arch-rivals on the field are what unites us for the future.”
The two clubs will survey their communities beginning next week, stage community meetings on October 6, and vote on their future on October 17.
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