Sport
11 July, 2025
End of an era for Bombers
THE East Warrnambool Football Netball Club will reluctantly disband at the end of the year, ending a community connection dating back more than 100 years.
The club will go out with a bang, holding a special luncheon tomorrow (Saturday, July 12) to remember the 1995 premiership team, with another major event planned for later in the year.
East Warrnambool hasn’t fielded teams since 2019 but has been working tirelessly in an effort to re-enter the Warrnambool and District Football Netball League (WDFNL).
However, the club has cited a lack of support from WDFNL, Warrnambool City Council (WCC) and AFL Victoria for its decision to disband.
Speaking on behalf of the club, treasurer Julie Scoble said it was a reluctant move but the club had been left with no option.
“We’ve got a lot of long-term supporters who will be very disappointed, but we got to the stage where we’d exhausted all options,” Mrs Scoble said.
“I’ve been involved since 1989 and personally it’s heartbreaking, and many others will feel the same.”
The club was formed in 1907 and won premierships in 1967 and 1995, the latter by 143 points which remains a WDFNL record.
After going into recess in 2020 and 2021 due to upgrades at the Reid Oval, the club was granted an additional year recess in 2022 due to COVID.
During this time the committee engaged with the WDFNL with the aim of re-entering the competition in 2023.
However, the WDFNL’s re-entry criterion required the club to field in all senior and junior grades in both football and netball and nominate coaches and players.
“The club believed it could meet the requirements for senior football and all senior and junior netball but not junior football despite a focus on rebuilding in the East Warrnambool area,” Mrs Scoble said.
“However, the dates for nominations were not realistic as most players and coaches were involved with other clubs.”
WDFNL also required documentation from Warrnambool City Council confirming continued long-term usage of the Reid Oval or an alternative long-term facility.
The council would not guarantee this until the club could demonstrate it was entered into a competition, even though at the time it still had three years left on its lease agreement.
“In other words, the council would not consider approval for use of the oval until the club was accepted by the league, and the league would not approve re-entry until there was council approval use of the oval,” Mrs Scoble said.
“Due to the reluctance to negotiate on the re-entry criteria and a lack of support, there was no option but to withdraw the request to re-enter the WDFNL in September 2022.”
Over the past three years, East Warrnambool continued to operate as a social club while trying to find ways to return to competition but was ultimately frustrated by a lack of support from the council and WDFNL.
“It was an impasse out of our control that we couldn’t resolve,” Mrs Scoble said.
During this time, the club has distributed about $30,000 to various community groups, including $150 grants to anyone wanting to play WDFNL to help with sporting gear, and donations to Hospice in the Home and Merri River School.
The committee’s decision to disband was brought to a head by WCC refusing to renew the lease on the clubrooms beyond this year.
“The clubrooms were built and developed by members and we are very disappointed at the lack of communication and clarity from WCC as to what is happening to them,” Mrs Scoble added.
The clubrooms are currently being used by the pool association and Hospice in the Home free of charge.
The club is starting the process of disbanding and will ensure items in the clubrooms are rehoused appropriately and funds appropriated for the community.
This weekend’s luncheon will be held from noon during the Warrnambool-North Warrnambool game at Reid Oval.
The club thanks all former players, committee and club members, administrators, supporters and sponsors who contributed over more than 100 years to Hopkins Ward, East Stars Football Club and East Warrnambool Football and Netball Club.
