ALL the preparation will come to fruition this weekend when EDFL football starts for Season 2019.
While balancing school holidays, Easter and ANZAC Day, it is fantastic that all senior and junior, male and female competitions will commence over the same weekend.
We are delighted that the EDFL has seen another year with positive growth in our number of teams.
For 2019 there are 430 teams competing in the EDFL this year, which means we have added 100 teams in the past three years.
It is encouraging that so many people want to play the sport of Australian Rules football and see the EDFL as their competition.
This is due to the positive environment and quality programs EDFL clubs provide for their local communities.
This weekend marks exciting times for the EDFL and many of our clubs.
Sunbury Kangaroos senior men and U19s will play in the EDFL for the first time, and Keilor Park seniors and U19s will return in 2019.
Coburg Districts, Essendon Doutta Stars, Greenvale, Maribyrnong Park, Moonee Valley, and Tullamarine football clubs will field senior women’s teams for the first time in their histories.
We wish them all the best for an enjoyable year.
Growth of this magnitude brings challenges for both our clubs and the EDFL.
It is pleasing to see facility improvements and developments at many EDFL clubs, and there is no doubt much more capital investment is required.
These projects will cover both facility upgrades (additional change rooms and amenities plus social rooms), as well as new and upgraded lighting to allow more opportunity for training sessions and matches.
The EDFL takes pride in the fact that we provide official field umpires for all competition matches as well as boundary and goal umpires for many games.
This avoids the need for clubs to have to find volunteers to field umpire matches.
Our umpiring group spends significant time in recruiting, training and retaining umpires across all three disciplines.
Incredibly we will have over 500 registered umpires in 2019.
As the competition grows in numbers of teams, we obviously need to source additional umpires.
Sadly, 160 of our umpires from 2018 have not returned for the 2019 season.
While there are a range of reasons for their decisions, a major cause is the horrible behaviour of a minority of people who believe they have the right to abuse umpires.
As the season commences l ask that you pay due respect to all EDFL umpires and ensure those around you on match day behave the same way.
While our focus is on 2019, l did want to reflect on successes from 2018.
To Bailee Said (Sunbury Kangaroos), Will Martiniello (Maribyrnong Park), James Vistarini (Taylors Lakes) and Kamen Ogilvie (East Sunbury) congratulations on winning EDFL Senior Best & Fairest awards last year.
Aberfeldie, Airport West, Roxburgh Park and Pascoe Vale won senior premierships in 2018, and our congratulations go to all involved at those clubs.
We also congratulate Greenvale, Airport West, Moonee Valley and West Coburg, who won Reserves and Thirds flags respectively.
The breadth of quality EDFL clubs, football programs and players was reflected in the fact that 24 clubs won a premiership last year, and 26 clubs provided junior competition Best & Fairest winners.
In closing l would like to thank all of our sponsors, especially our major partner the Strathmore Community Bank.
Good luck to everyone for Season 2019.
