Farrer League clubs won't necessarily present as a unanimous force at Sunday's AFL Riverina annual general meeting, with North Wagga retaining an open mind towards next season due to their concerns about deficiencies in the competition.
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The Saints say a compromised under 17.5 competition in the Farrer League is costing them players with young footballers encouraged to join Riverina and Hume League clubs.
They're comfortable with seeing out the review process implemented by AFL Riverina and, while they'll listen to what other clubs have to say, aren't automatically lining up behind Marrar's request for clubs to demand the league be left alone.
"The Farrer League the way it is the last two years is not in our best interests, I think, due to the loss of 17s (teams) and juniors and players," Nilsen said.
North Wagga have put plenty of time into their juniors in recent years and fear that will be wasted without a strong under 17.5s competition to progress to.
Nilsen says the promise of weekly football rather than the awkward draw in the Farrer League - where half of the clubs haven't been able to field teams - is a big drawcard offered to players and a key reason for Saints to consider bidding for the AFL Riverina's Premier Division.
"We'll listen to what people have to say and be respectful," he said.
"They're passionate about their teams and how that league turns out. But at the end of the day, we've got to work out what the best interests for the club.
"If everything was good and the 17s was strong, we wouldn't be considering moving from the Farrer League.
"But, for us, we're bleeding players. And when people pay their rego, we want them to get a full season.
"We'll keep to the path we've been on, and it will really come down to our members.
"But I think the AFL has communicated the (review) process really well. They've definitely been up front with it."
Coleambally are among the clubs to strongly support Marrar's call for the Farrer League to be left alone.
Murmurs of discontent blew up into outright hostility this week in the wake of a decision to move away from the competition's history and start afresh as the AFL Riverina Community Division.
Blues president Glen Tooth said he's confident the review process, and AFL Riverina's drive for change, began with the best of intentions. But he fears the way it's unfolded isn't doing justice to a proud Farrer League and its clubs.
"A pub comp is what it looks like now. Instead of going forward, it feels like we're going back. Like they're pushing one league forward and leaving one behind," Blues president Glen Tooth said.
He believes the biggest priority for many clubs hasn't been addressed at all.
"The same day footy concept, getting our juniors and seniors together, has been our aim for the last five or six years but it just seems to have gone in the complete opposite direction," Tooth said.
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