THERE’S an old saying: you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on all sectors – business, education, and community sport.
In the midst of the challenges of the pandemic I implore the Millewa football and netball community to stick fat and support your club, because if just one team was to fold and the league fall over it would be an absolute travesty.
The realists might say for the future of the sports in this region there will need to be change – and that might mean a little old bush league falls by the wayside.
The Millewa region has its strong identity beyond Sunraysia.
While only two clubs, Meringur and Werrimull, play regular games at the old Lake Cullulleraine ground now, and players are mostlybased in town where they also train, there’s still that connection to those old localities.
There’s the Kellys from Werrimull, the Harmers from Meringur, the Boultons from Bambill.
Those families, and others, all had their footing in the Millewa region in its heyday and their footy and netball clubs have been a big part of their lives.
Elsewhere, think of blokes like John Parker at Nangiloc, who was instrumental in the club being formed in 1974.
Blokes like Albert Mitchell at Cardross, who have given decades of service to the Lions.
Think of all the great players who have played for Alcheringa/Gol Gol over the years and people like Arthur Modica, who have worked so hard to turn a little New South Wales river outpost into such a strong club.
What remains of the identity of the Millewa and these other communities if the league itself isn’t there and these teams move to the SFNL, merge with existing clubs, or disappear altogether?
Then there is what the Millewa offers the players themselves – a chance to represent a community with a bit more pride than if they were to perhaps battle along and maybe play in the Sunraysia reserves.
I know from my own experience at Bambill for a season the former can be a lot more rewarding.
Sometimes when you are a lowly SFNL reserves footballer who won’t be in senior football calculations you don’t get that attachment to the club overall beyond your immediate teammates.
If the Millewa was to go how many would be consigned to just being a number on a team sheet making sure the ressies can run out there? And that’s if they decide it’s worth it.
Clubs right now need to look at what 2021 may bring and put things in place to make sure they can go on.
Coronavirus has ended a lot of things – don’t let it be the end of the Millewa.
