MAJOR changes to the TAC Cup will place greater travel and financial pressure on young Sunraysia footballers playing with the Bendigo Pioneers, according to local football identity Geoff Stevens.
The AFL recently announced a major overhaul to the elite under 18 competition with the possibility of six new teams being added next season.
It has been confirmed that plans are under way to expand the competition to 18 teams with the addition of sides from the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast, Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Northern Territory and Tassie Mariners.
Stevens, who is the Sunraysia co-ordinator for the Bendigo Pioneers academy program, said he hoped the expansion would not place further financial pressure on families.
Stevens said his son Kyle and wife Brenda had moved to Bendigo at the beginning of this year after Kyle was named in the Pioneers’ 55-man squad.
“As a parent, this little transition for my young bloke has cost me over $30,000,” Stevens said.
“I can understand why a lot of kids don’t do it because they can’t afford to do it and I totally understand and respect that.
“I’ve had to rent a $520 house and have my wife move away to look after my son.
“At the end of day I’m trying to give my boy the best opportunity, but it’s expensive and if the changes involved more travel and more expense then it is going to make it a lot harder for families.
“We already pay $500 and another $150 for uniforms, plus we have the cost of boots and other things. It’s just a huge expense and if it is going to hit the pocket even more. I’m not in favour.”
AFL Vic Country Sunraysia’s football development manager Trevor Ryan confirmed the proposed changes and said the expansion would further strengthen the elite TAC Cup competition.
He said the expanded competition could also return TAC Cup matches to Sunraysia.
“We used to play some matches against the NSW Rams in Mildura,” Ryan said.
“The changes could open the door for Mildura as a region to get some matches against some of these new teams, particularly the Sydney-based sides, because of our air service. They could fly in directly.”
The new sides will compete against the likes of the Murray Bushrangers, Gippsland Power and Ballarat Rebels.
The need to help lift the standard of grassroots football in Tasmania is believed to be the major driver for the changes.
In recent years academy sides, along with the Northern Territory and Tasmania, have competed in an under 18 academy series.
However, the proposed changes would disband this series disbanded in favour of a national competition.
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