The merger has long been a strategy to keep struggling local football clubs afloat. They’ve been around since the early 1900s and have even been seen in the AFL level, when the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Lions famously merged in 1996. When they succeed at a local level, merged football clubs see the best parts of two different communities come together. They can even propel new teams into a successful period and strengthen the club in the process.

Croydon North MLOC, established in 2019, is the youngest club in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL). It’s funky emblem, a Kangaram, is a combination of Croydon North Veterans’ kangaroo and the Mount Lilydale Old Collegiates (MLOC) ram. It is also a product of the merger that created the club.

Inaugural club president Graham Hewitt was a past player of the Croydon North Vets and was actively involved at Norwood for 16 years. He tells upstart that they were first approached by Mount Lilydale, who were trying to keep their club going.

“It was a good fit and we really wanted to get our senior club back and running again,” he says.

The Kangarams played just one season before COVID-19 threatened their existence, almost forcing the newly-formed club to fold. Hewitt says keeping up enthusiasm was the hardest part.

“We honestly didn’t know if we were going to come back,” Hewitt says.

Local football clubs often merge due to a lack of numbers, which affects a club’s ability to field teams on a regular basis. A team’s first priority is to be a stand-alone club. Attempts to achieve this could involve pushing players up an age group in a bid to fill the necessary teams.

Mergers shouldn’t take place to increase talent, rather to maintain participation. They can also have benefits such as increasing club wealth and minimising the loss of teams in specific leagues.

Croydon North MLOC volunteer Dave Perry tells upstart he initially played for Mount Lilydale prior to the merger and went on to be a playing coach for the Kangarams’ reserves after the two clubs amalgamated.

“I’ve been there from the start, through the 250-point losses and I honestly believe every year we are getting better and going in the right direction,” he says.

The improvement was reflected in this year’s performances, as the reserves side made it through to the club’s first ever grand final. The club has continued to gain more supporters as a result of this strong on-field form.

“It’s completely different now but that’s because when something’s new, people are hesitant,” Perry says. “The perfect example is the reserves. Had that [grand final] been in the first year it wouldn’t have been the same.”

Harrow-Balmoral Football Netball Club (HBFNC) is another example of a successful merger which led to a great local football dynasty. The senior football side recently won back-to-back premierships after two undefeated seasons.

Harrow-Balmoral was formed following a merger of the Balmoral and Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake Football Clubs in 1996 – the sides initially played in separate leagues. The Southern Roos have now made their mark as the best senior team in the Horsham and District Football Netball League (HDFNL).

HBFNC president Tereasa Hobbs was a member of Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake and she played netball there as a junior.

Hobbs attributes the success of the club to its ability to source and retain young local talent, developing players into quality senior footballers. She says the community feel has helped the footballers stick with each other and develop as a group.

“I think all the juniors went to school together, so it just took a natural course,” she says.

“We just have a coach and a leadership group that has developed our young players. We’ve tried to keep the club as it is [since the merger], and the success has come because of that.”

Hobbs says the club has placed a greater emphasis on family and community since the merger.

“It’s not all about winning for us, we’re just a family club,” Hobbs says.

Hewitt shares similar feelings about Croydon North.

“The players, the vibe and the happiness that come from being a part of a local sporting club. I call us a community, but I also call us a family.”

Article: Mason Loring is a second-year Bachelor of Media and Communications (Sports Media) student at La Trobe University. You can follow him on Twitter at @_MasonLoring

Photo: Supplied by Blair Burns and used with his permission.