Officials within the Mininera and District Football League are hopeful to boost junior numbers by potentially welcoming in new junior clubs in the coming years.
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The league has battled with dwindling junior numbers in recent years, with just seven of the league's 12 clubs fielding under-16.5 sides this season.
A South West Junior Review was commissioned in April to investigate and make recommendations for the structure of the Portland Junior Football Association and the Hamilton Kangaroos Junior Football League which could bolster numbers in the Mininera competition.
Mininera league president John Box said discussions have been made with teams in that region about joining the competition.
"We met with those junior clubs in Hamilton on Wednesday night and AFL Vic has also been doing a lot of work with it too," he said.
"We are quite keen to bring them here."
While Box said he is open to expanding the league, he is wary and concerned about the potential for clubs in the league to be removed and shifted elsewhere.
"My concern is that in this review to try and get the South West running some of our sides like Penshurst or Hawkesdale-Macarthur would be pinched," he said.
"That would have a devastating impact on our league and is something I am dead against."
AFL Goldfield regional manager Rod Ward stepped into a leadership role with AFL Western Victoria in April this year.
Ward said he is aware of the balance between ensuring the growth of the South West as well as the longevity of the Mininera competition.
"We are certainly aware of issues the Mininera league is facing as it tries to grow its junior competition," he said.
"We are also mindful that anything we do in the South West is not to the detriment of the Mininera league.
"We have had plenty of discussions about how we could assist and support teams."
Ward said draft recommendations around the Hamilton juniors will be released late next week.
He said AFL Western District is also looking into other ways to ensure the Mininera league does not continue to slide.
"We met with the league last week and it was a fairly positive meeting," he said.
"They raised feedback about permits from Ballarat and a few other things which we can look into that might make an impact."
Box said the league is holding a forum with all clubs at the end of the month. He said it will be interesting to hear club feedback.
"Overall there is a bit of positivity around. Wickliffe-Lake Bolac's junior numbers are on the way up and a lot of other clubs are putting in plenty of effort to find players," he said.
"The biggest thing for us would be for AFL Victoria to leave us be in terms of moving teams around."
Ward said there is also a focus on providing help for Mininera clubs who are struggling off the field and in their senior ranks too. It comes after Ararat Eagles forfeited their round 11 senior match at the weekend.
"Those clubs work are struggling on and off the field, we're working closely with them to try and strengthen them on and off field," he said.
"Those clubs who have asked for help, we're certainly offering.
"We're catching up with Ararat Eagles very soon. They're probably the biggest concern but they are not the only concern."
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