AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
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POWERFUL Canberra-based club Belconnen is considering a move to the Riverina Football League (RFL) next season.
Just days after withdrawing from the North Eastern Australian Football League (NEAFL) from next year, Belconnen officials have made contact with AFL Riverina about a potential move to the RFL.
AFL Riverina football operations manager Shane Buchanan yesterday confirmed he received an enquiry from Belconnen earlier this week.
Belconnen has also confirmed the approach.
The shock move comes amid a big week in Canberra football where Belconnen and Queanbeyan has decided to leave the NEAFL at season's end.
Tuggeranong made the same call at the end of last year and it leaves just Ainslie and Eastlake as Canberra's only two representatives in the competition.
Buchanan was happy to accommodate Belconnen's enquiries.
"Yes, we had an initial enquiry about Belconnen playing in the RFL in 2015," Buchanan said.
"With changes coming about to the NEAFL competition, the club is doing it's due diligence about opportunities where the club will be playing in 2015."
Buchanan said there is naturally a process to follow if Belconnen wanted to join the RFL.
"With anything like that there is a process and they would first need to get permission from AFL Canberra," he said.
"They would then have to apply to AFL Riverina."
Belconnen, coached by Jeremy Rowe, is currently placed in 10th position in the 14-team NEAFL competition with five wins.
The Magpies are also in fifth position in the seven-team AFL Canberra division one competition.
If Belconnen choose to follow through with the idea, it would have to introduce netball and field at least three teams.
Travel would be the other obstacle with Canberra to Griffith a four and a half hour trip.
A Belconnen official confirmed the RFL certainly had appeal as the club seeks to determine its future.
"It has been muted and it's being discussed," he said.
"It's very early days and there is still a lot of water to come under the bridge.
"All options are on the table."
The RFL is currently a nine-team competition.
