latrobevalleyexpress.com.au
Finally Morwell East joins North Gippy
FOOTBALL/NETBALL
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
A FIVE year odyssey to see out change has finally landed Morwell East Football-Netball Club on the other side.
The Hawks were accepted into the North Gippsland Football Netball League for season 2027 following a special general meeting last week (Monday, July 27).
The Express understands that the final result came back with nine North Gippsland member clubs voting in favour and two against, passing the 75 per cent majority to see Morwell East through.
Morwell East FNC president Colin King told this masthead that if a fourth consecutive effort didn’t go the club’s way, they would have tried yet again, determined to compete in a new league.
“We just felt that it was the best thing for our club long term, and we’d like to think we’d improve North Gippy long term as well,” King said.
“The North Gippsland (executive committee) put in a lot of work in the background that I didn’t see and our club didn’t see, which I think has paid off.”
Not present for the decisive meeting, Morwell East and King waited anxiously by the phone, eventually informed of the good news by North Gippsland FNL president Paul Griffin.
King has served Morwell East FNC as president since the beginning of the Hawks steadfast endeavours.
After failing to get past a club vote in 2022, the Hawks have subsequently fronted North Gippsland member clubs the last three years.
Morwell East’s first attempt fell agonisingly short, missing out by one vote, only for the following year to be joined by fellow Mid Gippsland FNL clubs Newborough and Yinnar wanting to move.
All three were shut out, and in 2025, once more on their own, six North Gippsland clubs thwarted the Hawks’ hopes.
In the previous two rulings, North Gippsland’s executive committee (under different leadership to now) voted in favour of Morwell East’s acceptance.
With it now over the line, the league is excited to have a competition featuring an even 12 clubs.
“The decision reflects the support of the league’s member clubs and marks an important milestone for both Morwell East and the broader NGFNL community,” a North Gippsland FNL statement read.
“Morwell East has a proud history within Gippsland football and netball, and the league looks forward to working closely with the club throughout the transition period to ensure a successful entry into the competition.
“The addition of the Hawks is expected to further strengthen the NGFNL both on and off the field, providing new opportunities for players, members, volunteers and supporters across the region.”
The league personally congratulated Morwell East on its successful application, and extended its best wishes to all involved in the club ahead of its inaugural North Gippsland season in 2027.
The Hawks were previously held back due to not fielding an under 18 team since 2021, which has been re-established this year.
King highlighted the efforts of thirds coach Lindsay Hogarth, coming across from Pax Hill Junior Football Club in the Traralgon District Junior Football League.
The Hawks feature a majority of bottom aged players, creating a sustainable junior program for years to come.
Morwell East’s junior affiliate club, Morwell Eagles, competes in TDJFL, which contains a majority of North Gippsland junior affiliates, such as Rosedale, Glengarry and Churchill.
In a whole club approach, the Hawks’ senior and junior footballers all train together on a Thursday night to ensure a strong connection for its pathways.
Another issue from concerned North Gippsland member clubs in the past included the potential additional strain that three more games per weekend would put on the Sale Umpires Association.
Morwell East has continuously cited geographical justifications in aligning with North Gippsland.
Holding a member base almost exclusively from both Morwell and Traralgon areas, the current Mid Gippsland setup makes recruitment difficult in travelling the other way of Gippsland.
“I think one of the things we’ve struggled in the last few years is that our club has traditionally been roughly 50 per cent from Morwell and 50 per cent from Traralgon post codes,” King said.
“Since the Alberton clubs have come in (six clubs joining Mid Gippsland in 2020), we’ve sort of lost that ability to recruit people from Traralgon postcodes.
“The existing Traralgon people stuck with us, so hopefully it just reverses to normal … and we’ll get back, on the football field and netball court, to winning.”
North Gippsland passes through Traralgon towards Wellington Shire, while Mid Gippsland has moved further to South Gippsland.
The Mid Gippsland board has let Morwell East walk, despite the league itself wanting to hold on to them.
“We’re disappointed to lose an inaugural club … but we wish them well,” Mid Gippsland FNL president John Schelling told the Weekly Times.
Morwell East will depart Mid Gippsland after a 53 year tenure and three senior football premierships to its name (1979, ’80 and ’05).
Previous Mid Gippsland club Yallourn Yallourn North was the last to be accepted into North Gippsland ahead of the 2021 season.
Former Mid Gippsland clubs Trafalgar and Yarragon now compete in the Ellinbank District competition.
