Rockbank is on the brink of having to fold its junior football division.
The Rams will have no under-14s this season and have only five players signed up in each of the under-12s and under-16s.
Rockbank president Mark Smith said the club had dropped its fees dramatically in an effort to attract players.
“We were nearly going to fold them the other day, but we have decided to keep trying,” he said. “We need to get a minimum of around 15 or 16 players in each team, then we’ll be right.
“Normally, once you get to about 15 or 16, you’re able to find a couple more.
“We are dropping our fees right down to attract players. We’ve dropped them to about the $100 mark.”
In an effort to ease long travel times, Rockbank has been placed in a division in which it will play nearby rivals such as Diggers Rest, Melton Centrals and Sunbury.
Smith is concerned that not having juniors will lead to long-term damage to the club’s senior division.
He said the Rams’ three best senior footballers this year had all come through the junior division.
Jake Armistead and Thomas Mainey will co-captain the Rams this season, while Leigh Sobotnicki has previously represented the Western Jets in the TAC Cup and Werribee in the Victorian Football League.
“We’ve gone from being a strong junior club over the years to fading away,” Smith said. “We’re struggling at under-18 level as well so the flow-on effect is starting to hurt us.”
More information
To play junior football for Rockbank, call Mark Smith on 0402 277 267.
